Lean On Me
by Sunkissed Gurl
Summary: This follows episode 4.10. Charlotte leans on Cooper to help her cope with life after her assault.It's full of surprises for both of them. EPIOLGUE is UP! HAPPY NEW YEAR!
1. Chapter 1

_A/N I do not own these character's. They belong to Private Practice Program. That said, it's been a few months since my last fanfic. The fall's been busy with school and I was involved in a writing project during Nov. _

_I was requested to write this fic and decided to give it a go. Dec. is a busy time for me as well as many of you with the holidays. I will try to update as often as I can._

_This fic takes place following episode 10. It picks up on the scene in which Cooper asks Sheldon for help._

_**Chapter one - Lean On Me**_

_Let's begin:_

Cooper sits quietly on the couch in Sheldon's office. He's looks down at the floor. He's squeezing his fists together waiting. He finally looks up at Sheldon. "I asked you if you could help me. Why are you staring at me like that?"

Sheldon straightens up and clears his throat. "Sorry, you caught me off guard for a moment."

Cooper's impatient. He throws his hands up. "Are you going to help me or not?"

"Yes, yes. I will help you, but honestly, it sounds like Charlotte needs the most help, from what you've said." Sheldon takes a sip of his coffee.

Cooper raises his voice. He speaks fast and loud. "Charlotte isn't going to ask for help. According to Charlotte she is _right as rain_. She's pretending this is okay with her." Cooper takes a breath.

Sheldon interrupts. " So you think she is _pretending _to be okay?" Sheldon pauses and begins again. "You think she isn't really okay with Lee Mchenry going free?"

Cooper shouts, "Of course she's pretending. My Charlotte, the Charlotte I know and love would never be okay with letting that man go free. But _this_ Charlotte, I don't know. I don't know _this_ Charlotte."

Sheldon waves his hand to calm Cooper down. "_This_ is _your_ Charlotte. She's in there. You have to bring her out."

Cooper takes a deep breath. His voice is quieter. "How do I do that? Can you help me?"

"I'll help you." Sheldon offers in a calm voice. "Charlotte needs to be honest about her feelings. She needs to get out her anger and quite frankly, she needs a good cry."

"That's the thing. She isn't doing any of that. She's acting like it's okay. How do I make her do that?' Cooper asks.

"You know her best. You'll think of something." Sheldon sips his coffee.

Cooper's mouth drops. "Are you kidding me? You're the shrink. I'm asking you how to do it."

"You'll think of something. In the meantime, you need to get her into therapy." Sheldon writes a name on a business card with pen.

"Seriously, people pay you for this? I already told you Sheldon. Charlotte doesn't want to go to therapy. She hates shrinks."

Sheldon's still writing. "Charlotte hates shrinks because they make her open up and talk. Charlotte's not a talker."

"Tell me something I don't know Einstein. How am I going to get her to agree to go?" Cooper asks sarcastically.

"If anyone can talk Charlotte into therapy, it's you Cooper. You hold some mystical power over her. I don't know why. I've been trying to figure it out. You got her to agree to marry you." Sheldon sighs. "If you could get that woman to marry you then you can get her to go to therapy." Sheldon hands Cooper the business card.

Cooper takes the card from Sheldon and gives him a glare about the last comment. "If you're holding a grudge against me I could talk to someone else about this."

"I want to help Charlotte and she loves you." Sheldon concedes a smile. "I'll help both of you."

Cooper reads the business card. "Who is this woman? Dr. Perri Lewis?"

"Dr. Lewis is a psychiatrist. I highly recommend her for Charlotte to talk to."

"Why not you or Violet?" Cooper asks.

Sheldon clears his throat. "I don't think Charlotte would be comfortable talking to me considering the circumstances. We were intimate for a short time."

"I know. I know. You didn't need to bring that up." Cooper insists.

"Well, you asked." Sheldon responds "And Violet is your best friend. I don't want Charlotte to worry about confidentiality. Violet was the one who told you Charlotte was raped." Sheldon puts his coffee down. "Perri is good. Get Charlotte to talk to her."

Cooper shakes the card in his hand and takes a deep breath "I'll try." He says.

"Do more than try Cooper," Sheldon stands up and puts his hand on Cooper's shoulder. "Charlotte's depending on you. She needs you to come through for her with this."

Cooper nods his head, gets up and shakes Sheldon's hand. "Thank you."

"And I'll see you again in my office at the end of the week." Sheldon firmly shakes Cooper's hand. "You're going to need someone to lean on."

Cooper puts the business card in his pocket, and nods at Sheldon as he walks out the door.

* * *

Cooper arrives home an hour later with a shopping bag in his hand. He finds Charlotte sitting in bed. She's wearing a black sweat suit reading. "How was your night?" He asks calmly with a smile.

"Like any other night." She answers quietly. At least she's not talking in rhymes but that's because he screamed at her for it last time. He still feels bad about it. She hasn't used any cliché's since that night. "What's in the bag?" She asks.

"It's for you." He hands her the shopping bag. She looks in it. She looks up at him with a puzzled expression. "You got me new glasses and dishes? Why?"

"I got them from the dollar store." He answers as he draws a circle on the wall with a marker he took out of his pocket.

"Have you lost your mind Cooper?" Charlotte looks at him bewildered. "Why are you drawing on the wall?"

Cooper turns to her and answers calmly. "I'm going to take a shower. I want you to pretend that the circle on the wall is Lee McHenry's head or that DA's head. Whoever you want. I want you to take the plates and glasses and throw it at them."

Charlotte looks at the plates and looks at him.

"I'll be in the shower. I'll leave the door unlocked, if you need me, just come in." He kisses her on the top of her head and walks into the bathroom. He turns the shower water on but doesn't undress. He stands behind the door listening to see if she throws the glasses and plates at the wall. It's quiet for a few minutes.

Charlotte looks in the bag. She pulls out the first glass and studies it. She looks at the circle Cooper drew on the wall. She waits a minute to get up the nerve and flings the glass at the circle. She hears the clinking of broken glass hit the floor. She throws another glass and another. Each time she throws a little harder. By the tenth glass, she is wailing them hard at the wall. She runs out of glasses and starts throwing the plates. They're heavier and louder. She throws them hard. As she throws the plates, she starts to scream at the circle on the wall. "Why? Why? Why?" She runs out of plates and bangs her fists on her bed. "Why?" She screams. "Why me?" Why?"

Cooper's listening on the other side of the bathroom door. He's not sure what to do. He wants to hug her but he doesn't know if she'll get upset. He hears her call his name.

"Cooper?" Charlotte cries out.

"I'm in the shower." He yells back as he quickly undresses. He jumps in the shower just as he sees the bathroom door open.

"Cooper?"

"Yes, Sweetie?" Cooper grabs the shampoo.

"I need you to sit with me. I don't want to be alone."

"Okay Sweetie. Pass me a towel over the shower door." He quickly rinses the shampoo out of his hair, turns off the water and grabs the towel. He wraps the towel tightly around his waist and walks out of the shower. She's sitting on the floor. Her eyes are red from crying. He grabs his robe off the hook. He hastily puts it on and ties it closed.

She looks up at him and gives a crooked smile. "Gee, you'd think you were the one that was raped. You're being all modest with your towel and robe."

He's surprised. That's the first time he ever heard her use the "R" word. He's not sure how to respond. He hesitates and stumbles his words. "I just thought, you wouldn't want to see me, because I'm a man... that you wouldn't want to see me naked."

She looks at the floor and softly tells Cooper, "he left his clothes on. His shirt was buttoned all the way up to the collar. The only skin I saw was his face and his arms. He had his sleeves rolled up and I saw those arms punching me over and over."

Cooper slides down to the floor and sits next to her. He grabs her hand and squeezes.

Charlotte takes a breath. "I think he left his pants on. Just pulled 'em down enough to do his thing." She squeezes Cooper's hand. "I don't know for sure. I didn't look down there. I kept screaming and he kept punching me. I saw stars the first time he came at me. I hardly felt him cuz he punched me so hard." She stops and takes a breath. "The second time I felt him tearing into me but I didn't feel his legs. He must have left them pants on." She's still squeezing Cooper's hand.

Cooper feels his hands getting sweaty and his face turning red. He had no idea that Charlotte had to endure Lee McHenry going at her not once, but twice. He wants o cry. He wants to punch something, but he can't. Charlotte needs him to sit there and listen and hold her hand. He can't help it. He could feel the tears streaming down his face and his shoulders start to shake.

Charlotte looks up at him. "I need you to be there for me, Coop. I can't have you bailing on me."

He cups her face in his hands and looks in her eyes. "Never. I will never bail on you. I promise. Okay?"

"Okay." She answers as they get up off the floor. Charlotte goes back to bed and opens her book. Cooper lies next to her. He tosses and turns. He tries to sleep but every time he closes his eyes he sees Lee. He knows what Lee McHenry looks like. He saw him at the lineup. He imagines Lee fully clothed with his shirt buttoned up to the neck, sleeves rolled up, on top of Charlotte, punching her. He can't get the image out of his mind. He gets up out of bed.

Charlotte looks up. "Where are you going, Cooper?"

"I'm going to clean up this mess." He walks out of the room.

"Cooper?" Charlotte calls.

He comes back in the room with the broom and vacuum. "I promise you. I'm going to clean up this mess for you." He begins picking up pieces of glass. "Oh. I made an appointment for you tomorrow morning with a Dr. Perri Lewis."

Charlotte puts her book down. "Who's she?"

"She's a psychiatrist. I want you to talk to her." Cooper continues to pick up pieces of broken glass. "I don't care if you don't want to talk. You'll sit and listen to what she has to say."

"Cooper, you know how I feel..."

Cooper interrupts. "I know what you need. Let me be in the driver's seat for once Charlotte. You need to trust me. Lean on me this time." He looks up at her. "Okay?"

She sighs. "Okay, I'll go this once but if I don't like her I'm not going back. You hear me Cooper?"

"I hear you." He answers and smiles a little as he sweeps up the glass. She's starting to sound more like _**his**_ Charlotte already.

**Please review and let me know what you think. **


	2. Chapter 2

A/N I do not own these characters. They belong to Private Practice.

**Lean On Me-****Chapter 2**

Cooper and Charlotte arrive at Dr. Perri Lewis's office promptly at 9am. The waiting room is comfortable. Charlotte takes a seat on the flowery cushioned couch while Cooper checks her in. Cooper fills out the insurance and patient forms while Charlotte nervously skims through a magazine. After Cooper finishes the paper work, he grabs Charlotte's hand and holds it tight. He could tell she's a bundle of nerves. If there's anything Charlotte King hates it's talking and expressing her feelings, especially about this.

After a few moments a slender brunette approaches them in the waiting room. "Hello. You must be Dr. Charlotte King." She extends out her hand. "I'm Perri Lewis M.D."

Charlotte shakes her hand. "How do you do?"

"I'm just fine." Dr. Lewis answers. "How are _you_ feeling."

"Good." Charlotte quickly responds as she stands up. They all know she's lying. The truth is she's not good, far from it. That's why she's here, after all, and they all know it.

"I need you to come this way." Dr. Perri leads Charlotte towards a door.

Charlotte looks back at Cooper. "Ya' comin'?" She asks.

"I'd like to talk to you alone first, Dr. King, if you don't mind." Dr. Perri Lewis opens the door leading to her office.

"Oh, okay." Charlotte answers looking back at Cooper. The truth is she does mind. She needs him to hold her hand now more than ever. As she walks in Dr. Lewis's office she surveys it. There's a plush couch with pillow like cushions on one side and a bone colored leather recliner on the other side of Dr. Lewis's mahogany desk. The curtains are a mix of soft pastels swirls.

"Have a seat wherever you'd like Dr. King while I review your paper work." Dr. Perri Lewis tells her.

Charlotte chooses to sit on the leather recliner.

"Relax and put your feet up." The doctor instructs Charlotte. "There's a button on the armrest for the feet to go up. There's another button to recline the back."

"I'm fine like this." Charlotte answers sitting straight up with her hands crossed on her lap, like a child posing for a school picture. She watches as Dr. Lewis reviews her papers. The papers Cooper filled out. She wonders what Cooper wrote about why she's here. Dr. Lewis is about forty years old. Her dark hair is sleek and shiny falling just past her shoulders in a bob. She's wearing a silk burgundy blouse with an off-white pencil skirt. Charlotte couldn't help but notice her three inch stiletto's. They're off-white like her skirt with a splash of burgundy to match the blouse. Dr. Lewis was a fashion minded woman, for sure.

Dr. Lewis looks up from her chart. "May I call you Charlotte?"

"That's my name." Charlotte snaps out quickly, still feeling uncomfortable in a shrinks office.

"I wasn't sure if you preferred Dr. King."

"Charlotte's fine." She says careful to be polite this time.

"Feel free to call me Perri." Dr Lewis gets up from her chair and sits on the couch across from Charlotte. "You have a lovely accent. May I ask where it's from?"

"From the south. It's a southern accent." Charlotte answers quickly and uneasy watching the doctor. She knows what Doc Perri's doing. The doctor's trying to relax her by discussing her accent.

"I realize that. What part of the south, if I may ask?"

"Alabama. I'm from Alabama. A town called Monroesville." Charlotte answers.

"I've heard of Monroesville. That's where Harper Lee is from. She's the author of To Kill A Mockingbird."

"My favorite book." Charlotte's feeling a slight bit more comfortable.

"Is it your favorite book because the author comes from the your hometown or because of the story itself?"

"It's an amazing story. _That's_ why it's my favorite book." Charlotte's not sure where the doctor is going with this.

"So you're not particularly attached to your hometown?" The doctor asks.

"I wouldn't have moved across the country to LA if I was." Charlotte realizes that sounded harsh.

"So you're happy in LA? No regrets you moved across the country to LA?"

"I was until…" Charlotte suddenly stops herself. She's knows where the doctor is headed with this conversation.

"You were until what Charlotte?"

Charlotte decides to play along with the doctor and see where this conversation goes. "Until I was raped." she snaps. "I was happy here until I was raped." There she said it. The doctor already knows that's the reason she's here. Surely, Cooper wrote all about it in the paperwork. There's no sense in hiding the truth from Dr. Perri Lewis.

"Do you wish you never moved out to LA?"

"Yes and no." Charlotte folds her arms.

"First tell me why you said yes." Dr. Lewis asks.

Fine, Charlotte will answer these stupid questions, but she's not coming back. She told Cooper last night if she didn't like it she's not going back. "I said yes because if I didn't move here I would have never had met him." She keeps her arms folded tight against her chest.

"You mean Dr. Freedman?"

Hmmm... She knows Cooper's last name. "Yes Cooper, my fiancee. He's the reason I'm here. He wants me to talk to you."

"Well, I'm glad you're here Charlotte." The doctor smiles. "You already told me the reason you're sorry you moved here is because of the rape."

"Yes." Charlotte answers.

"Would you consider moving? Leaving this town?"

"If it wasn't for Cooper, I'd of been out of LA already, but you can't tell Cooper that."

"Anything you tell me Charlotte is confidential." Dr. Lewis assures her. "Why don't you want Cooper to know you want to leave LA?"

"If Cooper knew I wasn't comfortable here, he'd pick up and move us across the country."

"Isn't that what you want?"

"Cooper's an established pediatrician." She lowers her arms and puts them in her lap. "He's practiced over ten years in this town. He loves his job. He's a damn good pediatrician and he's worked hard for it." Charlotte waves her hands now as she explains. "I don't want him to give that up and start all over somewhere else. He'd do it for me in a heartbeat but in a few years, he'd resent me for it. I know it."

"What about you?" The doctor asks. "You're Chief of Staff. That's a big accomplishment. Why wouldn't you mind giving it up and starting all over?

"Because he raped me in my office at work." Charlotte tells her. "Every time I walk in that hospital, every time I walk in my office it all comes back to me. I'm afraid one day I'm going to lose it and snap at that place." Charlotte can't believe she just said that to the doctor. She takes a deep breath and looks out the window near her chair. Now someone knows how she's really feeling. Now Perri knows one of her fears. She's not willing to share the rest. Not yet.

"That's what I'm here for Charlotte. I'm here to help you to prevent that from happening." The doctor gently puts her hand on Charlotte's hand for comfort. "Is there anything else you'd like to tell me right now? Anything else you need to get off your chest?" The doctor asks.

"No. Are we done yet?" Charlotte asks anxiously.

"We'll be done soon Charlotte. There's a few things I need to tell you before I let you walk out that door."

Charlotte leans back into the recliner, "Go ahead. Shoot."

"The first thing I need to tell you is statistically women who have been violently raped, women whose attackers go free and women who don't seek help are at the highest risk of suicide. You fit into all three categories. I need to know if you're feeling suicidal?"

"No. I would never do that to Cooper. He would be devastated if he even thought I considered it." Charlotte answers crossing her arms again.

"If you do ever have these feelings I want you to call my office night or day. I have a 24 hour hotline service." Perri hands Charlotte a card with a number. "I'm giving you my personal cell number. Don't hesitate to call if these kind of feelings come up."

The second thing I want to tell you is there is a support group that meets at St. Mary's Cathedral every other Wednesday at 7pm." Perri hands Charlotte a pamphlet. "I understand you're not ready to talk about your attack to strangers yet but I urge you to go and listen to these women talk. It'll help to know you're not alone."

"I'll think about." Charlotte sticks the pamphlet in her purse.

"The last thing I need to tell you may surprise you."

"Okay?" Charlotte asks curious.

"Twelve years ago, I was 28 years old. I was a brand new psychiatrist just out of residency. I set up an office in a converted apartment over the garage of my house. I was just starting to establish some patients. I took anyone that called for an appointment." Perri sits down on the couch again.

"Ok?" Charlotte shrugs her shoulders.

"This young man came in. He said he was seeking help for depression. I was looking through his papers when all of a sudden he pushed me down on the floor. Next thing I know he was on top of me. I screamed and he punched me. It was quick. He raped me and ran out the door."

"Oh." Charlotte watches her quietly waiting for the doctor to continue.

"After he left, I went to my bathroom and took a shower. I didn't report it." Perri tells her.

"Why?" Charlotte's curious. She thought she was the only doctor stupid enough to do that.

"I was the doctor. I should have had the situation under control." Perri tells Charlotte. "I was just starting out. How would that look? I'm a psychiatrist and I let a patient overtake me. My career would have been over before it started."

"It wasn't your fault. It doesn't mean you were a bad psychiatrist." Charlotte insists.

"I know that now but I felt it was at the time." Perri tells her.

"What happened? How did you cope?" Charlotte's very interested

"I suffered in silence. I didn't have a Cooper for support. After a year of emotional pain and night terrors, I swallowed a bottle of pills. They pumped my stomach in the ER. Obviously, I survived. That's when I told them about the rape. I had nothing to lose anymore. I didn't want this guy who was living his life to be the reason I took mine." She holds Charlotte's hand. "See, he wouldn't have been the one to take my life. It would have been me. He was in only control during the attack. I was in control of everything that happened after."

"How did you get back to feeling normal again?"

"A combination of therapy and the support group and just time. I saw that other women were able to get on with their lives and I could too."

"I'm happy it worked out for you." Charlotte smiles genuinely at Perri.

Perri hands her a photo. "These are my children. I met a great guy. We married two years later and have two healthy children."

"They're beautiful." Charlotte smiles and hands her the picture back.

"Do you and Cooper plan to have children one day?"

"Cooper would love to have a baby now. We talked about having children before **it** happened. I told Cooper I didn't want kids. My momma was a bad role model, but Coop's a pediatrician. He needs to have kids."

"So you agreed to have one?"

"I didn't tell Cooper, but yeah, I can't deny the man a child. He'd make the best father. Our children will be lucky to have him." Charlotte smiles. "He'll make up for whatever short comings I have."

"Just because your mother wasn't a good role model doesn't mean you can't be a good mother. I can work with you on that."

"That's great but I haven't let Cooper touch me that way. We haven't had sex since it happened. Hard to make a baby if you're not having sex.**"**

"We'll talk about that next week**. **It'll happen. These things take time to get over. It's normal." Perri gets up and shakes Charlotte's hand. "Our time is up. I'll see you the same time next week?" Perri asks.

"Same time next week." Charlotte shakes Perri's hand firmly and walks out of her office.

Cooper's still sitting in the chair in the waiting room. She grabs his hand and smiles.

"How was it? Are you smiling because you can't wait to get out of here and never come back?" He asks as she pulls him along to the elevator.

"It went well." She tweaks his nose after they get in the elevator.

He laughs for the first time since the attack. It feels right. _His _Charlotte is slowly coming back to him and that's okay.

* * *

**REVIEW PLEASE =)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

It's morning. Another typical day. Charlotte and Cooper are standing in the elevator. The doors are about to close as Sheldon Wallace squeezes in. Sheldon notices the couple is holding hands, it's unusual for them to do at work. He decides not to comment considering Charlotte's fragile state. He notices Charlotte's shoulder is leaning against Cooper's arm. "Good Morning." He greets the couple. "How are you doing today?"

"Just peachy." Cooper says sarcastically. "How are you?"

"Don't get me started on my day." Sheldon continues, "Wendy was knocking outside my window at 4 am. She doesn't normally knock until seven which is fine but 4am is too early."

"Wendy? Is that your new girlfriend?" Cooper grins.

"No. She's a woodpecker and she was pecking too early for my liking." Sheldon straightens his tie.

The idea of Sheldon naming a woodpecker makes Charlotte smile.

"Then I go outside and find that the back two tires of my car have been slashed."

"Not good." Cooper groans.

"Of course it's not good." Sheldon continues. "I called the cops. Do you know the cops call me Shelley?" I hate that" Sheldon rambles on. "I think Wendy was pecking so early because she must have known something was amiss."

"You're telling us the woodpecker tried to warn you vandals were slashing your tires." Cooper smirks.

Sheldon fusses with his tie and answers defensively. "I'm saying it's unusual for Wendy to peck that early. Something woke her up."

"You need to get a dog. A big guard dog." Cooper advises as he walks off the elevator hand in hand with Charlotte.

* * *

A few minutes later Cooper plops himself on the couch in Sheldon's office. "I listened to you go on about your bad morning. Now it's your turn to listen to me."

Sheldon turns his head to look at Cooper. "You and Charlotte seemed fine on the elevator. You were holding hands."

"That's all we do lately is hold hands. We're living like brother and sister. Holding hands is our way of saying we're not brother and sister."

"Cooper you know recovery is a process. It takes time. Did you get Charlotte to agree to therapy?" Sheldon asks.

"I did and she went." Cooper shrugs his shoulders. "It went well. Charlotte's going back next week."

"Terrific." Sheldon smiles and raises his voice. "I knew Perri would be a good match for her." Sheldon sits behind his desk.

Cooper has a serious look on his face.

"Cooper? Why are you here? What happened this morning?"

"Charlotte and I were eating breakfast. It was quiet and out of the blue she says "Dr. Perri wants to help us have a baby."

Sheldon wrinkles his face. "What?" He's surprised and confused.

"That's exactly how I reacted." Cooper tells him. "Charlotte, the Charlotte I know, doesn't even want kids but _this_ Charlotte does."

"You've made it known you want children Cooper. I'd think you would be happy."

"I want to have a baby with _my _Charlotte, not _stranger_ Charlotte." Cooper tells him.

"I'm sure Perri isn't going to encourage Charlotte to get pregnant right away. She needs to get better first before she brings a child into the world." Sheldon assures him.

"Charlotte said Perri was going to work with her, give her tips on how to feel comfortable in the bedroom again, on how to enjoy sex again and that will eventually lead to a baby."

Sheldon lets out his breath. "That makes perfect sense. She wants Charlotte to be comfortable having sex without relating it to the rape. That's normal. The baby stuff is in the future. I wouldn't worry about it." Sheldon pats Cooper on the back.

Cooper wrings out his wrists. "Maybe _I'm _not comfortable having sex yet."

"Why's that?" Sheldon asks.

"Charlotte told me something the other night. She told me about the rape. She told me he left his shirt on and he raped her twice."

"I see." Sheldon's eyes widen. "Poor Charlotte."

"And now every time I close my eyes at night I have a visual of Lee McHenry with his shirt on raping Charlotte."

"You're saying it kills the mood for you?"

"I'm scared that when Charlotte is finally ready to have sex again I'm going to have a visual of Lee raping her and I…" Cooper hesitates "I 'm afraid… I….wont be able to perform." He sinks his face down looking at the floor.

"What you're feeling is normal Cooper."

"I don't want to disappoint her when she's ready." Cooper clasps his hands together and looks at Sheldon. "I want it to be pleasant. I want it to be great when we do it again."

"Don't have high expectations. The first few times with as much coaching as Charlotte gets from Perri may still trigger flashbacks."

Cooper looks at Sheldon. "Really? Now you're worrying me more about it. Man. You're not helping Sheldon." Cooper throws his arms in the air in desperation.

"I want you to be prepared. And may I suggest you wait until your _both _ready_. _Don't rush it._"_

"I wont. Believe me, I don't even want to have sex now."

"You will. In the meantime why don't you find other things to do together that make you both happy?_"_

"Like what?" Cooper asks.

"You'll think of something." Sheldon pats Cooper on the back and leads him out of the office."If you don't mind I have a patient scheduled at nine."

* * *

Cooper comes out of the bedroom wearing a new running suit. Charlotte's already in sweats reading her book. "Put your running shoes on. We're going for a jog."

"Why?" Charlotte looks up from her book.

"Because I want to do something together and I don't think your arm is strong enough yet for tennis or bowling. Let's go for a run._"_

"Cooper! I'm in the middle of this chapter_."_

"And you can pick it back up when we get home. Come on. Let's go._"_

Charlotte reluctantly follows him out the door.

They jog along a path near the water. They try to stay in synch with each other. They run until the sweat is pouring down both their faces and backs. It feels good. It feels cleansing.

"Look!" Cooper points out an ice cream stand. "Ya want some?" Cooper asks short of breath.

"Kind of defeats the purpose of runnin'" Charlotte's breathing heavy.

"Come on. We earned it." He waves Charlotte in the direction of the ice cream stand.

Charlotte orders pistachio and Cooper orders rocky road. They sit on a bench enjoying their treats.

"I want that Cooper." Charlotte points out a family sitting on a bench several feet away_._

"Want what?" Cooper looks around.

Charlotte nods again at the couple with two young children.

"You told me you didn't want kids because of your mother? Why the sudden change of heart?" Cooper licks his dripping ice cream cone.

Charlotte stares straight ahead and answers. "Life's short Cooper. Things change when your not lookin'. No point in puttin' things off."

Cooper looks into her eyes. "Charlotte King, I want to have children with you more than anything in this world but we're not ready. Not now."

Charlotte gets defensive. "I don't want to make one tonight. Heck, I don't even want you touchin' me yet._"_

_C_ooper sighs in relief " That's good."

"What's good? That I don't want you touchin' me? You think that's good." Charlotte's annoyed.

"No Charlotte. I want to touch you but not yet. We're not ready._" _Cooper calmly tells her.

She pulls him up off the bench. "Let's go for a walk on the beach. Let's walk off this ice cream."

"We ran it off already_."_ Cooper complains as she drags him along.

They walk along the shore, listening to the waves crashing. It's peacful. Charlotte breaks the silence. "I don't know when I'll be ready for you to touch me like that again."

"It's okay Charlotte. I can wait."

"Are you really okay with this Cooper? I think about how we met. I think of how we used to be. We had a lot of fun in the bedroom. You willing to give that up?"

_"_We don't have to give it up. It'll be different but that doesn't mean it can't be good." He squeezes her hand. "Change is good. We'll get there together."

"I want you to hug me." Charlotte tells him. "I could really use a hug."

"Okay." Cooper stops and faces her. He stands there for a minute with his arms outstretched like a robot. After a minute she walks into him, pressing her body lightly against his. He wraps his arms around her back and squeezes. She flinches and he loosens his grip.

"It's okay," she tells him and he squeezes again. She wraps her arms around his neck and rests her head on his chest. That's where she reaches up to on him with running shoes on. He leans down and kisses the top of her head. He takes in the scent of her coconut shampoo. They stay like this for a good fives minutes. He holds her and she starts to shed tears. He feels her shoulders shaking.

He let's go of her. "Are you okay Sweetie? I'm sorry if I did something. Was I squeezing you too tight?"

"You didn't do anything. It felt good. I felt safe. I don't know why I started crying. I started and couldn't stop. But it felt good, you holdin' me. I needed that."

"Good!" Cooper takes her hand and they walk back towards the car. "We'll have to do it more often."

"I'd like that." She tells him.

"And remember, it's not a sprint it's a marathon." Cooper smirks.

"You stole that saying from me."

"I did not. As a matter of fact my mother used to say that to me all the time when I was little."

"So did mine." Charlotte scowls.

"Let's not say that to _our_ kids." Cooper tells her making a scowl.

"Definitely not." Charlotte smiles.

**Please leave a review if you like it.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four-The Storm**

The wind is howling. The sky is gray and the rain pours down on L.A., this chilly winter morning.

"Good Morning." Cooper breezes into the kitchen at Oceanside.

"Good Morning to you." Violet shivers as she prepares a pot of morning Joe. "Where's Charlotte?"

"The ER is hopping this morning. " Cooper grabs a banana from the fruit bowl. "She got called in. A lot of accidents from the weather."

"Pete got called into the ER early for the same reason." Violet tells him.

Naomi enters the kitchen for some coffee to warm up. "People need to slow down on days like this. I almost got rear-ended on the way to work." She rubs her hands together. "How is Charlotte doing?"

"A little better." Cooper replies. "She lets me hug her now."

Naomi smiles softly. "Take care of her Coop. She needs you."

"I'm doing my best." Cooper answers.

"That's all any of us can do." Naomi smiles."Since the coffee's not ready yet, I'm going to see if Sheldon made hot chocolate in his office this morning. He makes the kind with the little marshmallows" She says exctited on her way out.

"So you're hugging now? Coop, that's good. Baby steps ." Violet rubs his shoulder. " You two are taking baby steps." Violet offers enthusiastically as she watches him peel his banana.

"Oh not you too with the sayings." Cooper's whines "I have cliché's and sayings coming out of my ears. I've heard all of them by now."

"Cliché's are a comfort mechanism during tough times." Violet pours them each a cup of coffee. "They're comforting because for the most part they're true." She hands Cooper the cup of coffee.

"Yeah well, Charlotte isn't talking in cliché's anymore." Cooper sips his coffee. "I lost it on her last week for using them."

"What happened?" Violet sits next to him.

"I was out playing poker with the guys . I was drinking. I got home and I asked her how her night was. She started in with the cliché's again." Cooper puts his coffee cup down. "I screamed at her to stop."

"What did Charlotte do?"

"She ran in the bathroom and locked the door. I apologized. I don't want to hurt her anymore than she's already hurting." Cooper rubs his head.

"I'm sure the drinking didn't help. Drinking clouds your judgment. Try to lay off the alcohol for now Coop. You need to be there for Charlotte to lean on. You. Not drunk you." Violet tells him.

"Right. You're right." Cooper sips his coffee. "I'm trying Vi. I'm trying."

Violet rubs his back. "That's all you can do."

* * *

The ER at St. Ambrose is busy this morning. Charlotte had to call in extra staff to handle the high volume of patients this morning.

"What's going on today?" Pete asks as he approaches Charlotte.

"Lots of accidents from the rain and lots of people with the flu." She hands him a chart.

An ambulance crew rushes in the door with a woman on a stretcher. "We got a bleeder here!" They call out. "Her name is Sara Thomas. She's 25 years old, involved in an MVA. She has lacerations to her head and extremities. Her leg wound is going to need surgery."

Charlotte and Pete examine the woman. Her foot is nearly severed off. "I'll call for an OR." Charlotte tells them while Pete examines her facial wounds.

The woman cries out desperately. "Please my son! My son Jake is coming in another ambulance. Please take care of him. He's only four years old."

The medics tell Pete and Charlotte."The child looked fine. He was buckled in a car seat. No apparent injuries. We called an ambulance for him because he was in shock to see his mother hurt so bad. You should probably take a look at him anyway."

Another ambulance crew comes through the door with the little boy. "We have a four year old here. Mother was hurt badly in the crash. His vitals are normal. The kid's just scared."

"Jake, mommy's here!" Sara calls out to her little boy. "Daddy's on his way. He'll be here any minute." Sara looks at Pete and Charlotte as the they start to wheel her off towards the OR wing. "I don't want to leave Jake alone. I want to wait with him until his father gets here."

"Don't you worry. We'll take care of Jake." Charlotte tells her. "We need to get you into the OR as soon as possible if we want to save your foot from being amputated."

"Please. He's only four and he's scared." Sara pleads with them.

"I understand. I have a little boy myself." Pete tells her. "I'll wait with Jake until your boyfriend gets here. What's your boyfriends name?"

"His name is Lee. Lee McHenry. I called him from the accident scene. He should be here any minute." Sara tells them as she's wheeled into the OR Dept.

"Okay." Pete answers.

Charlotte freezes. Her face goes pale. "I have to go." She tells Pete and walks briskly in the direction of her office. Wait can't go there she thinks. I'll be all by myself there. She heads back to the ER. There are tons of people there. She'll be safe. Her heart is racing by the time she approaches the ER desk. She grabs a bottle of water from behind the counter, leans against the wall and closes her eyes. She takes deep breaths and tries to calm herself down. She hears a man approach the receptionist desk and say:

"I'm Lee McHenry. My girlfriend, Sara Thomas, and my son, Jake, were in an accident."

Charlotte opens her eyes. She sees him. Her mouth drops open. Then she closes it tight and bites down on her lip. She feels numb.

The receptionist answers him."Sara was taken to the OR. I'm not sure what room your son is in." The receptionist turns to Charlotte. "Do you know what room they brought Jake into?"

Charlotte doesn't answer. She stares at Lee McHenry. She starts having flashbacks of the attack. She leans against the wall and closes her eyes so she doesn't have to look at him.

"Where's my son?" He asks her.

She doesn't answer.

He gets louder. "Tell me where Jake is?" He shouts at her.

Charlotte stays frozen against the wall with her eyes closed. The receptionist tells him."Calm down. I'll page Dr. Wilder. He'll know where your son is."

A minute or so passes after the receptionist pages Pete. Charlotte's slides down the wall and is sitting on the floor now.

"Dr. King? Are you okay?" The receptionist asks.

"Don't worry about her. Worry about finding my son!" Lee shouts at the receptionist.

Pete walks to the desk carrying Jake. "Daddy!" The little boy calls out excited. Pete hands the little boy to Lee.

"Oh thank God your okay Jake." Lee hugs his boy and kisses his head. "Daddy was so worried about you." He turns to the receptionist. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. I was worried about Jake."

"I understand." the receptionist tells him. Charlotte's sitting behind the receptionist on the floor still leaning against the wall.

"Mommy has a bad boo-boo." The little boy tells Lee. "Can they fix her?"

"Yes Jake. Mommy will be okay. She's in the hospital and these doctors will fix her good as new."

"Your girlfriend needs surgery. Her foot was almost severed off in the accident." Pete tells Lee. "The surgeons are confidant they can save it."

"Thank you." Lee shakes Pete's hand. "Thank you so much doc."

"There's a waiting room outside the OR. You can wait there but this kind of surgery takes several hours. I don't know if Jake can sit that long." Pete tells Lee.

"No, neither one of us can. I don't like waiting." Lee tells Pete.

"The OR is that way." Pete points down the hall. "Talk to the OR staff. Give them a number they can reach you when Sara is out if surgery."

Lee starts to walk away holding Jake. "Thanks for all your help doc. I appreciate it."

"No problem. You be good Jake." Pete smiles and waves at the little boy as Lee carries him off toward the OR.

The receptionist approaches Pete and quietly tells him. "There's something wrong with Dr. King. She's sitting on the floor behind my desk and she isn't talking."

Pete walks behind the desk. He crouches down on the floor next to Charlotte. He gently asks. "Charlotte, what's wrong?" She doesn't answer. He puts his hand on her shoulder and she flinches away. "Charlotte, it's Pete. What happened?"

Charlotte looks at Pete. He's the one that helped her and took care of her after Lee attacked. She grabs onto him and cries into his shoulder.

"It's okay Charlotte." Pete picks her up and carries her into a room. He places her on the bed.

"No!" She looks at him with big eyes. "I can't be in this hospital if he's here." She jumps up out of the bed.

"If who's here?" Pete asks.

"Him" Charlotte just says.

"Is the man who raped you in this hospital?" Pete asks.

Charlotte nods her head yes. Her eyes are as big as a deers that's been caught in the headlights. She runs out of the room.

Pete runs after her. A nurse stops him. "A heart attack patient just came in. We need you in room 5, Dr. Wilder."

"Call Cooper Freedman. I need to talk to him stat." Pete tells her as he goes to room 5.

Pete attends to the patient. A nurse calls him. "I have Dr. Freedman on the phone."

Pete takes the phone. "Cooper we have a problem. The guy who attacked Charlotte is in the hospital. Charlotte panicked and ran off on me"

"Oh my God! Where is she Pete?" Cooper yells into the phone.

"I don't know. She ran off." Pete takes a breath and answers. "I couldn't run after her. I'm in the emergency room with patients."

"I'll be right there." Cooper hangs up the phone. He makes another call before he rushes off for St. Ambrose. "This is Cooper Freedman. Charlotte and I need your help."

**TO BE CONTINUED!**

* * *

Shout out to JFF for beta'ing this Chapter for me. I appreciate her input.

As always I ask that you review please.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The rain is down pouring on L.A. Cooper rushes into the ER wrestling with his umbrella as he tries to close it. He sees Pete. "Where's Charlotte Pete?" He calls out.

"I don't know. I told you she just ran off on me." Pete grabs Cooper's umbrella and tries to close it up.

"Where's Lee McHenry?" Cooper's breathless. He ran through the parking lot in the rain.

"Lee McHenry? Is he the man who raped Charlotte?" Pete's surprised.

"Yes that's him. You said her rapist was in the hospital. Where's Lee McHenry?"

"I sent him to the OR. His girlfriend and son were in a car accident. His girlfriend is in surgery now." Pete tells him.

Cooper bolts down the hall towards the OR. "Cooper wait!" Pete calls after him, but Cooper keeps running.

"Hang on. Wait up Coop." Cooper hears a familiar voice behind him.

He stops. "What are you doing here?" He asks Violet.

"Pete called me right after he called you. You ran out of the office so quick I couldn't keep up with you." Violet tells him, a little short of breath herself.

"You've got me now. What do you want?" Cooper asks walking briskly down the hall.

"I want to help you. Where are we going?" She asks.

"We're going to the OR. That's where Pete says Lee McHenry is."

"Is that Charlotte's rapist?" Violet's nearly running in her heels trying to keep up with Cooper's hasty stride.

"Yes." Cooper clenches his jaw. They arrive at the OR reception desk. "I'm looking for Lee McHenry" Cooper tells the secretary.

"You just missed him Dr. Freedman. His girlfriend's surgery is going to take several hours so he left with his little boy." The secretary tells Cooper.

"Where did he go?" Cooper asks clenching his fists tight.

The secretary answers. "He didn't say. The little boy was hungry. Maybe he took him down to the cafeteria."

"Thank you." Cooper turns and heads down the hall.

"Where are you going now Cooper?" Violet asks running after him again.

"I have to find him before he hurts Charlotte again."

"Wait! Stop a minute Cooper." Violet grabs his arm. Cooper stops and turns to her annoyed. "Think about it Coop. He has his little boy with him. He's not here to hurt Charlotte."

"Right now, I don't know where he is and I don't know where Charlotte is. I know they're both in this hospital. I can't calm down until I know Charlotte's safe."

Violet's still holding his shirt. "Then let's go find Charlotte. Let's go to her office." They walk in the direction of Charlotte's office. "Did you try calling her?"

"Yes! I tried 10 times on the way to the hospital. She didn't pick up!" Cooper yells as he walks to her office.

"Let me try." Violet pulls out her phone and initiates the call. They enter Charlotte's office and hear her phone going off. "It's coming from over there" Violet points to Charlotte's purse hanging on the coat hook with her jacket. "Well we know she didn't leave the hospital. Her coat and purse are still here."

"Damn it Charlotte! Where are you?" Cooper says desperately to himself.

Violet rubs his back. "We'll find her Coop. We'll find her."

Cooper's phone rings. "Hello Dr. Freedman. It's Perri Lewis. I just arrived at St. Ambrose. Have you located Charlotte yet?"

"No, and I'm worried about her." Cooper answers.

"It'll be fine. Where are you?" Perri asks.

"In Charlotte's office." Cooper responds.

Perri answers. "She wouldn't go there. That's where the attack occurred. She most likely left the hospital."

"No." Cooper explains. "It's raining pretty heavy out. All her things are in her office. Her coat and purse are still on the hook."

"Have her paged to somewhere in the hospital she would feel safe." Perri tells him. "I'll listen to the page and meet you there."

Cooper turns to Violet. "Where in the hospital would Charlotte feel safe going?"

Violet thinks out loud. "Not the ER...after what just happened… not her office…. I don't know…The main lobby? I guess. There are a lot of people moving through there all day."

"I'll try it." Cooper calls the page operator and asks her to page Dr. Charlotte King to the main lobby.

Cooper and Violet arrive at the main lobby about the same time as Perri Lewis. Cooper introduces the two female shrinks and they shake hands. They all wait for Charlotte to show up. Violet and Perri trade shrink stories while Cooper nervously paces. He asks the page operator to page Charlotte a second time.

* * *

Sam Bennett's driving slow. The heavy rain's pounding down on the windshield of his car making it difficult to see. He's on his way to the hospital to do rounds. He spots a woman walking on the side of the road. He normally doesn't stop for strangers but he notices she has on a white lab coat. He's only two blocks away from St. Ambrose. He thinks a staff member's car must have broke down. He pulls over and calls out to the woman. "Do you need a ride?" The woman keeps walking straight ahead. "Hey!" He calls again. "Do you need a ride?" Still she ignores him. It's as if she can't hear him. Sam slowly drives by the woman and she looks familiar. "Charlotte?" Sam pulls over and gets out of his car. He runs up behind her. "Charlotte!" He calls."

She turns around and looks at him. She's drenched. Her hair is soaked as well as her clothing. Sam takes off his coat and covers her with it. "Charlotte, come in my car." Sam ushers her to the passenger side and puts her in. He gets back in the drivers seat. "Do you need a ride to the hospital? Did your car breakdown?"

"Take me home... Please." Charlotte tells Sam with no emotion to her voice.

"Charlotte, what happened? Why were you walking along the road in the pouring rain? It's dangerous."

"I'm fine." Charlotte tells him. "Please take me home." She doesn't look at him. She stares straight ahead out the windshield.

Sam drives her home. It's a ten minute drive to Charlotte and Cooper's apartment. When they arrive Sam tells her. "I'll walk you to the door."

"Leave me here." She says, "I don't have my key."

"Stay in the car. It's warm and dry. I'll call Cooper and see if he can get his key to me." Sam stands outside the car in the rain and calls Cooper.

Cooper answers. "Sam I can't talk now. Charlotte's missing."

"I'm with Charlotte right now."

"Where?" Cooper's anxious.

"At your apartment. It was weird man. I found her walking along the the road in the rain. I drove her home but when we got here she didn't have a key."

"I'm on my way home. Stay with her until I get there. Don't let her out of your sight." Cooper tells him.

Sam gets back in the car and talks to Charlotte. "Look, we've never been close but Addison told me what happened to you. If there's anything I could do?"

"I'm fine." Charlotte's short.

"Cooper's on his way with the key. I'll wait with you until he gets here."

"Thank you." Charlotte looks straight ahead.

"So, how bout those Lakers?" Sam tries to make conversation. "I know you follow em'. Cooper tells me you shout at the television if they lose."

"Hmpf... Does Cooper tell you everything?"

"Almost" Sam grins. "Cooper likes to talk."

Charlotte shakes her head in agreement looking straight ahead.

Sam continues trying to break the silence while they wait for Cooper."If you like basketball so much why don't you ever come down and watch us play? I mean Cooper, Pete and myself when we play on Sundays at the courts?"

Charlotte looks ahead but answers him. "I don't think Cooper wants me too. It's his guy time. His male bonding ritual."

"I guess, but it'd sure be nice to have a pretty face rooting us on." Sam's trying to cheer her up.

"I'll keep it in mind." She tells Sam.

Coopers car screeches into the parking spot next to them. "Here's Coop." Sam announces relieved.

Cooper jumps out of his car. He pulls open the passenger door and pulls Charlotte out of Sam's car. He hugs her tight. "Charlotte Sweetie. Thank God your okay."

"I'm fine." She answers calmly. "I just forgot my key."

"Let's get you upstairs." Cooper ushers Charlotte toward the entrance of the apartment building. "Thanks." He calls out as Sam drives away.

After they walk in the door Cooper tells her. "You're soaked. Let's change you into some dry clothes." He brings her towards the bedroom.

"I'll do it Cooper. Please, just leave me alone. Okay?" Cooper follows her to the bedroom. She turns and tells him, "I just forgot my key. I'm fine," before she closes the door on him.

The doorbell rings. It's Perri and Violet.

"Is Charlotte okay?" Perri asks as she walks in the door.

"She says she is but I don't believe her." Cooper answers.

"Why not?" Violet asks.

Cooper throws his arms up in the air and shouts at Violet. "Why? You're asking me why I think she's not okay?" He starts SCREAMING at Violet now. "SHE WAS WALKING OUTSIDE ON A BUSY ROAD IN THE POURING RAIN WITH NO COAT, NO PURSE, NO HOUSE KEY, NO PHONE, TELL ME HOW THAT IS OKAY VIOLET! WHAT ABOUT THAT IS OKAY TO YOU? HUH?"

"Calm down Dr. Freedman." Perri tells him in a stern tone. "Sit down on the couch and don't say anything else until you've got yourself under control. I'll go check on Charlotte." Perri knocks on the bedroom door. Charlotte doesn't answer so she tries the doorknob. It's not locked. She opens the door and walks in. Charlotte's sitting on the bed in her wet clothes crying into a pillow. Dr. Perri sits next to her on the bed. She gently rubs her back. "I'm here Charlotte. It's Perri Lewis. I'm here for you."

Charlotte looks up at her. Charlotte's eyes are filled with tears her voice is shaking. "He's gonna' leave me." She cries. "He's gonna' leave me."

Cooper appears at the bedroom door which Perri left open. His voice is soft. "I'm not going to leave you Sweetie. I promise I'm not going to leave you."

She finally shows some emotion and raises her voice at him crying, "I heard you yelling at Violet. You think I'm crazy. Why would you want to be with a crazy, damaged, sexless woman?"

Cooper comes closer to the bed. "I don't think you're crazy but you're not okay. You need help Charlotte. Let me help you." Cooper sits next to her and starts crying with her.

Perri addresses Cooper. "Can I see you in the living room a moment?"

"I don't want to leave Charlotte." Cooper answers.

"I'll sit with her." Violet's standing by the door watching and listening.

Cooper says softly. "Sweetie, I have to go out and talk to Dr. Perri a minute. Violet's going to sit with you." He kisses the top of her head.

They get into the living room. "Sit down Dr. Freedman." Perri tells him.

"Call me Cooper."

"Fine. Cooper. I understand you're upset and frustrated but what you just did was wrong."

"I know. I'm sorry." Cooper answers.

Perri tells him. "You're right. Charlotte is not okay. We can all see that. Your tirade to Dr. Turner wasn't necessary."

"I lost it. It's been a bad morning." Her rubs his hand over his face. "I was worried about Charlotte. We find her the way we did and she tells me she's okay. She's not okay but she can't admit it."

"She doesn't admit it because she's afraid you'll leave her if you think she's not okay."

"I'm not going anywhere." Cooper tells Dr. Perri.

"You need to tell her that. With that tirade she thinks you can't handle it and you're going to leave."

"I did tell her."

"Keep telling her and showing her until she believes it. No more tirades." Dr. Perri. warns him. "If you feel one coming on, leave the room. No screaming around her. You might want to try going to therapy."

"I am. I'm seeing Sheldon Wallace."

"Tell Sheldon what happened. He can help you figure out a way to calm down when you feel the anger coming on."

"I will." Cooper feels like a child that's just been punished.

"I'm going to talk to Charlotte now."

"Can you help her?" Cooper has tears in his eyes. "I need my Charlotte back."

"I can help her." Perri tells him. "And Cooper your frustration is normal. You have to get a handle on expressing it around Charlotte though."

"I will." Cooper lets his body fall down on the couch. Violet comes out of the room. "I'm sorry I yelled." Cooper tells her.

"It's okay Coop, I get it." Violet reassures him.

"It's 12 noon and I'm exhausted already. Cooper stretches his body across the couch."

"It'll get better Cooper" Violet stands over him.

"Promise?"

"I promise." Violet tells him.

* * *

**Thank you to JFF for being an amazing beta for this chapter!**

**Please review.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six-The Calm After The Storm**

**The sun was beaming thru the window of Charlotte and Cooper's apartment. Cooper woke up on the couch with the sun shining on his face. He had fallen asleep on the couch yesterday afternoon . It was dark and stormy out at the time. He admitted to Violet he was physically and emotionally exhausted. He told Violet he hadn't been sleeping well since Charlotte's attack and even less after Charlotte told him Lee raped her twice. He woke up this morning refreshed following 18 hours of non interrupted sleep. Violet left yesterday soon after Cooper fell asleep. Violet went back to Oceanside to help reschedule Charlotte and Cooper's appointments for the rest of the day. Neither one of them would be returning to work that stormy afternoon. Perri Lewis stayed with Charlotte in the bedroom until she felt it was safe to leave her. Charlotte spent the rest of the stormy day alternating between napping and reading a motivational book that discussed healing after rape. Occasionally, she would come out of the bedroom to check if Cooper was still on the couch.**

**Cooper yawns and stretches. He pads into the bedroom "Good Morning. Today looks like a much better day than yesterday. The sun is shining bright." **

**Charlotte looks up from her book. "It does, doesn't it?" She looks out the window.**

**Cooper sits next to her on the bed. "I know yesterday was rough for you…having to see him."**

"**I'm good here at home... with you." She smiles gently.**

**Cooper clasps her hand intertwining their fingers. "Charlotte, I'm not leaving you, ever. Why are you so afraid I'm going to leave?"**

**Charlotte puts her book down and pauses a minute before saying. "I've always tried to be the strong one Cooper. I'm a strong woman and I like being a strong woman and I know you're attracted to me because I'm strong."**

"**I know you're strong Charlotte." Cooper squeezes her hand.**

"**Except now I'm not. I don't feel strong. I don't feel like myself. I don't like who I am now." She takes a deep breath and lets it out. "And if I don't like who I am now I'm afraid you aren't going to like me either and it's just a matter of time before you leave."**

**He squeezes both her hands tight now. "That's never going to happen. I don't expect you to be all strong and stoic after something like this. You wouldn't be human if you were." He pushes a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I want you to be you. You don't need to pretend you're okay to please me. I can handle it Char. If you need to cry. I want you to cry. I'm not going to melt or run if I see you crying and I'm not going to think of you as a weak woman. I'm going to think of you as a human. My human."**

"**Can I have a hug?" She asks.**

"**You don't have to ask." He wraps his arms around her. She wraps her arms around his neck and cries on his shoulder. He rubs her back gently as she cries.**

**After a few minutes she says, "I was so scared when I saw him at the hospital yesterday. I didn't know what to do?"**

"**Did you think he was going to hurt you again?"**

"**Not at first. He was there to see his girlfriend but just the sight of him scares me. He started yelling at me and the receptionist because she didn't know where his son was. I froze. I think I was in shock. I couldn't believe it was happening. I wish that I reported it. It's not fair that he could walk in my hospital and yell at me after everything he did to me." She starts crying again.**

"**You're right. It's not fair. He's lucky I didn't find him at the hospital yesterday. I wanted to kill him."**

"**Cooper, please don't say things like that. I can't have you in prison for murdering him." Charlotte pulls at her hair in desperation. "I wish he was in jail so I wouldn't have to worry about you killin' him. That's another reason I act like I'm okay in front of you. I figure if I act like I'm okay with it then you'll be okay with it."**

"**You don't have to pretend to be okay anymore. I'm going to buck up for you." He gently runs his thumb along her cheek. "I promise I will not kill this guy. I promise I will stay away from him. He caused enough damage in our lives. I want a future with you. I want children with you. I don't want to spend my life in prison because of Lee McHenry."**

"**Thank you." Charlotte says softly.**

"**I have a surprise for you." Cooper pulls something out from under the bed. It's flat and about three feet wide and over two feet long. It's wrapped in red and green Christmas paper with a big red bow.**

"**So that's where you hide my Christmas presents? Under the bed?" She wipes the tears from her eyes to look at the wrapped gift.**

"**My mother sent this to me as a Chanukah gift last week. I rewrapped it for you as a Christmas gift because I know you'll love it."**

"**You're re-gifting a Chanukah present from your mother to me?" Charlotte runs her fingers over the present to try and figure out what it could be.**

"**Yup. I already told my mother I was going to give it to you for Christmas. I told her you'll love it as much as I do."**

"**Why are you giving it to me now? Christmas is another two weeks away."**

"**I thought you could use a little Christmas today." Cooper looks at her holding the present and teases her "Don't worry, I got you other presents to open on Christmas Morning. Go ahead. Open this one now."**

**Charlotte carefully peels the tape off the wrapping paper.**

"**Not like that." Cooper tells her." Come on rip it off!" He helps her tear off the wrapping paper.**

**She stares at the present. It's a painting of a little girl and boy each about 5 years old holding hands walking on the beach. The picture is framed in oak. The little boy has curly dark hair and blue eyes. He resembles pictures Charlotte has seen of Cooper at that age. The little girl has straight, long blond hair and hazel-green eyes. She's wearing a pink sundress with little daisy petals on each shoulder.**

"**I used to have a dress just like that." Charlotte tells Cooper. "I remember because big daddy took a picture of me wearing it the first day of kindergarten. Big daddy kept the picture in his wallet until the day he died."**

"**I know Charlotte. I asked your brother for a picture of you at age 5. He sent me that one and I sent it to my mother. My mother painted the picture. Painting's been her hobby, I guess, since my brother Andy died. It was her outlet."**

"**She's quite an artist." Charlotte tells him. "She could sell something like this for a lot money."**

"**This is ours. It's going up on our wall forever. It's me and you forever or my mother will kill us, after all the time and effort she put in that painting."**

"**When did she start painting it?"**

"**She asked me for the picture right after I told her we got engaged in May. I'd say it took her almost six months to do. She probably worked on it a little every night. I can't leave you or my mother will kill me." He jokes. **

**She smiles, "I'll have to call her and thank her. It's absolutely gorgeous. I love it."**

"**She was planning on giving it to us as a wedding gift originally but she couldn't wait for us to see it. I'll bet she's painting us another one for our wedding."**

"**I wonder what that one will look like?" Charlotte asks.**

"**I don't know but I have another one she painted. I don't know if you'll like it as much. She sent it to me for the second day of Chanukah."**

"**Let me see it and I'll decide." Charlotte tells him.**

**Cooper pulls another present out from under the bed. This one is smaller. Charlotte unwraps it. It's an 8x10 painting in a frame. Charlotte looks over the picture of an elderly couple sitting on a porch. They're each sitting in a rocking chair side by side holding hands with an old dog at their feet. "That's supposed to be us in thirty years." Cooper explains.**

"**More like forty years from now. We both look pretty old. She made me all grey." Charlotte looks at the painting.**

"**At least she gave you hair. She made me completely bald." Cooper complains.**

**Charlotte rubs her hand over his head and messes his hair. "Enjoy it while you still got it." She jokes with him. He laughs.**

**While Cooper's laughing Charlotte brings her hands down to his face. She cups his jaw in her hands and focuses her eyes on his smiling lips. She leans in and kisses them. At first it's just a soft, light kiss to test the waters. She stops, looks at his lips again and this time she presses a harder kiss into them. He lets her take the lead. He kisses back with his lips but is careful not to involve his tongue. After they break the kiss she says. "Happy Chanukah. I'm sorry I didn't get you anything yet. Haven't been able to get into the holiday spirit this year."**

"**You just gave me the best present I could ask for." He tells her. "How about I call in sick to work today and we go out and get a Christmas tree? We'll go shopping, have lunch together and spend the day decorating our Christmas tree."**

"**I'd like that." Charlotte doesn't fancy the idea of going back to work this week. She knows Lee McHenry will be at the hospital to visit his girlfriend. His girlfriend had major surgery and will be in the hospital at least a week. "I have some vacation time left. I'm going to take this week off and relax, do some Christmas shopping."**

"**Excellent**** idea." Cooper says. He wants to kiss her again but doesn't. He's going to let her take the lead with that stuff right now. Cooper rubs his hands together "We're going to have so much fun today together."**

**Charlotte smiles "Give me another kiss you." She leans her face into his and kisses his lips. It feels good." I love you Cooper Freedman, you big doofus." She teases him.**

"**And I love you Charlotte King. I think we're going to be okay."**

**"Yeah, we're going to be okay." She tells him as she gets up to take her shower.**

**

* * *

**

Review Please!

Shout out toJFF for being an awesome beta for me.

**_To Be Continued..._**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

It's Wednesday morning. Charlotte's reading a magazine as she sits in Perri Lewis's waiting room. Cooper went to work early this morning after taking the day off yesterday to spend with Charlotte. They spent the day picking out the perfect Christmas tree then taking it home to decorate it. It was a good day. The kind of day Charlotte didn't want to end because it was back to reality today. Cooper was back at work and she was at the psychiatrist's office.

The secretary calls out to Charlotte "Dr. Lewis is ready for you now."

Charlotte gets up and walks into Perri Lewis office. Perri's hair is perfectly manicured as usual. She's wearing a silk black pantsuit. Charlotte has a similar one at home. "Have a seat Charlotte." Perri smiles.

Charlotte sits in the leather recliner near Perri's desk.

Perri starts. "You look much better than when I last saw you on Monday."

Charlotte crosses her arms and sounds a bit defensive. "You mean the day I came face to face with my rapist? The day he walked into my ER and started shouting at me?"

"I see you're angry. Tell me about that anger."

Charlotte huffs and sighs. "I don't know who I'm more angry at him or me?

"Why would you be angry at yourself Charlotte?"

"Because I didn't report that bastard and now he can come in my hospital whenever he likes and taunt me." Charlotte glares at Perri.

"Is that something you're afraid of ? Are you afraid of him taunting you?"

"I don't know. He was there because his girlfriend was hurt. I'm hoping once she's discharged he wont come back and I'll never see him again."

"How are you coping now with his girlfriend in the hospital?"

"I took the week off." Charlotte answers quickly and defensively. "I know what you're going to say. You're going to say that I'm running away from my problems." Charlotte quirks her eyebrow up at Perri. Her arms still folded. "Am I right?"

"I'm just learning about you Charlotte. From what I know so far you tend to avoid conflict. When things get stressful and I mean very stressful, you flee." She looks at Charlotte for a reaction. Charlotte doesn't give her any. "And I'm going to bet this isn't new for you. This is a pattern with you. Am I right?" Perri waits for a response.

Charlotte takes a deep breath and lets it out. No point in lying. "Yes, I was married 15 years ago. I was young and naïve. My husband cheated on me and I left him. No second chances. I left him behind and moved to L.A. And I know what your going to say. When the going gets tough the tough get going and you should face your problems head on not run away from them. I've heard it all before." Charlotte raises both eyebrows this time at Perri with her arms folded tightly against her chest.

Perri leans foward in her seat and tells Charlotte, "Avoiding your problems isn't the _best _way to deal with them. I advice my patients against avoidance_. However, _in your current situation it's a good strategy. I think you were right to take the week off. I'll compare it to avoiding the train tracks so you can't be hit by a train. You're not ready to face your attacker. We don't know how he'll react to you. He could get violent. It 's best to steer clear of him.

Charlotte's relieved Perri's not going to lecture her for running away from the hospital in the rain the other day. Perri understands. She's on Charlotte's side. "How long can I avoid him though? I took this week off knowing his girlfriend is at St. Ambrose and he'll be there to visit. What if he or his son gets sick next month or next year and they come to the hospital?

"I'll teach you the coping skills you need to prepare yourself should that kind of situation come up. We'll role play different scenarios in which you may encounter him. It'll be 100 times easier if you're prepared than it was for you the other day."_"_

"I'd appreciate that." Charlotte unfolds her arms and places them each at her side on the arm rests of the chair.

"How did things go with Cooper after I left you the other day?"

"Cooper slept straight thru until the next morning. Poor guy was exhausted. This is taking as much a toll on him as it has on me."

Perri informs her, "Cooper's a co survivor. He needs therapy as well."

"Cooper's seeing Sheldon Wallace for that."

"He told me. I told Cooper to ask Sheldon to teach him coping skills. His tirade directed at Dr. Turner was wrong."

"Cooper was stressed because of me. He was much better yesterday after getting a good night's sleep. We had an amazing day together yesterday. We even kissed." Charlotte folds her arms across her chest again.

"How did it feel to kiss him? Were you comfortable with it?" Perri asks.

"I was. We were having a good day, good conversation. I wanted to kiss him and I just went for it._"_

"As long as it felt okay and you were ready for it. You're headed in the right direction. You're making excellent progress._"_

Charlotte smiles to herself. She's finally doing something right.

"Before you leave today, I'd like to set some goals for the week. What goals do you have for yourself Charlotte_?"_

"To be me again. To feel the way I did before this happened."

"That's a tall order. That's too much to expect to happen in one week. I'm going to set some more realistic goals for you to meet this week._"_

"Shoot,_" _Charlotte's willing to listen.

"I want you to attend the rape support group that meets tonight at St. Mary's Cathedral_"_

Charlotte folds her arms again. "I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"I can't tell a group of strangers I was raped."

"These women have all walked in your shoes. You don't have to talk tonight. Just go and listen. Bring a friend for support. It should be a female. Many of the women are uncomfortable discussing their assaults in front of men_. _I want you to attend this meeting. It's is an important step that will benefit you._"_

_"_I suppose I can ask someone to come with me."

"Then do it_. _My second goal for you is to take another step with Cooper._"_

"What do you mean? Charlotte furrows her brow.

"You kissed him this past week. I want you to take the next step._"_

"And do what_?" _Charlotte's brow is still furrowed.

"Whatever feels right to you. It may be light touching over your clothes or a more passionate kiss. Whatever feels comfortable. If it gets uncomfortable, stop._"_

Charlotte crosses her legs and thinks about it_._

"How was your sex life before the attack_?" _Perri asks.

"Fun_." _Charlotte shrugs her shoulders. "We do a lot of role playing_. _We have fun in the bedroom. We met on an adult website." She quirks her eyebrow at Perri.

"How is this period of celibacy effecting your relationship with Cooper?_"_

She holds her folded arms tight to her chest. "I'm terrified Cooper's going to get horny one day and look elsewhere to meet his needs._"_

"Did you tell him you're feeling this way._"_

"No. I don't want him to know I'm scared I can never satisfy him again. I'm not interested in role playing anymore. Thinking about it after the rape makes it seem dirty._"_

"It's normal to think of sex as dirty and unpleasant after you've been violated. I promise you these feelings aren't going to last forever. There will come a day you look foward to sex again."

"I sure hope it's soon." Charlotte responds. "I don't know how long Cooper can wait."

Perri can see how much this worries Charlotte. "You and Cooper will need to find a different approach to sex now." Perri tells her.

"And what would that be?" Charlotte asks her arms still folded tight against her chest.

"Think of it as a way of connecting with Cooper. Think of it as making love, not having sex. Do you follow me?_"_

"You mean get into it more emotionally rather than phsyically?_"_

"Right. Eventually you'll enjoy the physical feeling again. It takes time. Go slow. Your goal for this week is to take it to the next step, not home base."

Charlotte chuckles, "You're starting to sound like my momma talking to me when I was in high school."

"Think of me as your momma for now." Perri smiles

"You're nothing like my momma, believe me_." _Charlotte's relaxing now.

"Our time is just about up. We can talk about your momma next week. Remember those goals for this week_. _There will be a pop quiz when you come back next week._" _Perri jokes.

As Charlotte gets into the elevator she thinks about who to call to come with her to the meeting tonight. Violet is the obvious choice. She was raped but the last time Charlotte called Violet for a favor she accused Charlotte of using her. Violet was right, she did use her for the lineup. She thinks about calling Naomi. Naomi was so gentle and caring with her in the hospital a few weeks ago but they've never been friends. But Naomi made her feel loved. She decides to leave a message on both Violet and Naomi's voicemails informing them about the meeting and if they want to meet her there at 7pm for support; she'll see which one if either of them show up.

* * *

It's 6:45_pm._ Charlotte's sitting in her car in the parking lot of the church. She nervously waits to see if Violet or Naomi show up. A few minutes later she looks up and sees them walking to her car together. "Imagine that. They both came." She says to herself. She gets out of the car and both Naomi and Violet give her a hug. They know she's nervous. "Shall we get this over with?" She says to them as they walk in the front door. They're shown into a meeting room. There are about fifty woman in the room. They give Charlotte papers to fill out. Next, the leader introduces herself to Charlotte. She tells her there is another young woman besides Charlotte that is attending the meeting for the first time. Her name is Alexis. She introduces her to Charlotte. The young woman is in her late teens. She came alone and looks just as nervous as Charlotte. Naomi takes an interest in the girl. She reminds her of Maya. The meeting is about to begin. Charlotte, Violet, Naomi and Alexis all sit together in the back row. The leader introduces Charlotte and Alexis to the group. The group welcomes them with applause. The leader talks a little bit about her rape and tells them how she has put her life back together. For the next half hour the women take turns discussing issues they're having relating to being violated. Charlotte doesn't have to talk. She sits quietly and listens to the other women, taking it all in. She wonders what happened to Alexis, how she was raped and by whom, but she knows not to ask. Alexis will talk about it when she's ready.

After the meeting the women are welcome to stay for cake and coffee. Charlotte wants to leave but Violet is discussing her rape with some women she just met. Naomi is sitting at another table talking to Alexis. They seem to be having a deep discussion. Charlotte stands by Violet. She remains quiet and takes it all in, listening to the other women discuss their issues. When the meeting is officially over the four women, Charlotte, Violet, Naomi and Alexis all walk out to their cars together. "So, same time two weeks from now? We'll all meet here at 7pm?" Naomi asks them.

"Sounds good to me,_" _Violet answers, "Better yet, Why don't we all meet for dinner first. Girls night out!"

"I'm in!" Naomi's says.

"You don't have to do this. I'm okay coming alone next time._ " _Charlotte tells them.

Naomi gives Charlotte a hug and tells her. "I want to come back. I told Alexis I would come and sit with her next week. So you're both stuck with me." Naomi smiles at a quiet Alexis.

"I want to come again too_." V_iolet says. "I'm a survivor. I can help these women. I'm going to talk to the leader about becoming more involved in the group."

"As if you don't have enough to keep you busy with Pete and Lucas and your job at Oceanside?" Charlotte raises an eyebrow.

"This, is for me." Violet looks her in the eyes and tells her.

"Okay. The four of us have a date for girls night out in two weeks. Dinner and then support group." Charlotte confirms. They exchange phone numbers with Alexis.

Charlotte gets in her car and smiles to herself in the rear view mirror. "Wasn't such a bad night after all," she says to her reflection." She's actually looking foward to a girls night out with Naomi, Violet and Alexis. Too bad it's not for another two weeks she thinks.

* * *

Charlotte comes home and calls out for Cooper. He doesn't answer. She's surprised to find him asleep in bed. She decides to wake him. She wants to tell him about her day and hear about his day at Oceanside. They were both busy and haven't spoken to each other since the morning.

Charlotte nudges his shoulder until he opens his eyes. "Why are you asleep so early? It's only eight thirty?" She asks, mocking him.

Cooper answers in a groggy, whiney voice. "I have the flu."

"What are your symptoms?"

Cooper rolls on his back and looks up at her. "Fever, my head hurts, my whole body aches." He rolls back onto his side and closes his eyes. "How was your meeting?" He asks. His voice is raspy.

"Wasn't a meeting. It was a support group and it went well." Charlotte feels Cooper's forehead, " Geez, you're burning up Coop."

"I took tylenol about an hour ago." He tells her. "I feel like crap." He rubs his head.

Charlotte takes a damp washcloth from the bathroom and puts it on his head. She sits down next to him on the bed and begins massaging his shoulders. "What are you doing?" He asks in a weak, raspy voice.

"Your body aches so I'm giving you a massage." She positions her hands on top of his black t shirt and kneads her fingers into his shoulders and back.

"You don't have to do that." His voice is tired.

"I want to." She tells him. She moves her hands up and massages the skin on the back of his neck. He tells her it feels nice before he falls back to sleep. She thinks this is good practice. She pulls up his shirt and massages his back and shoulders again this time with her hands against his skin. She massages until her hands are tired. She pulls his shirt back down and changes into her pajamas. She settles down next to Cooper, facing him. She wraps her arm around his back and places a soft kiss on his cheek. He opens his eyes to look at her. "It's okay Coop. Go back to sleep." She nuzzles her head into his warm neck and it's not long before she dozes off herself, thinking about the day.

* * *

**Another shout out to JFF for being a great Beta to me! )**

**Your reviews make my day! More reviews would make me happy! :)**


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N Hi guys! Thanks for all the positive reviews. I love reviews. I'll try to update as often as possible but this is such a busy month so forgive me if it takes a little longer to update this month. =)_

* * *

**Chapter 8**

It's Monday morning, Cooper wakes up feeling much better. He spent the past four days in bed with the flu. He feels the weight of Charlotte's head on his chest. Her long soft hair on his skin. He opens his eyes and looks down at her. He's a little startled that he has no shirt on and she's resting her head on him. He runs his hand through her long blonde curls. She's been starting to curl her hair again and he likes it. She moves her head and opens her eyes. "I'm sorry." he says. "I don't even remember taking my shirt off. I must have been so out of it with the fever."

She looks up at him, "you didn't take it off. I did."

His eyes open wide, "why?" He asks.

"Because you were hot and sweaty from the fever. I thought you would feel better." She tells him.

"Thank you." He kisses the top of her head and gets out of bed.

"Where are you going?" She asks watching him.

"To take a shower. It's Monday, duty calls."

"But you're sick."

"I'm feeling better this morning. Besides, I missed enough work already. What about you? It's Monday. Are you going back yet?" He asks as he pads towards the bathroom.

"I'll go in with you to Oceanside but I don't know about the hospital yet."

"Do you want me to call and ask if _his_ girlfriend has been released yet?" Cooper asks.

"Would you mind?" She asks quietly not looking at him.

"Of course not, Sweetie. I'll do it when I get out of the shower."

"Thanks." She tells him still looking at the blankets.

* * *

Cooper arrives at Oceanside and heads straight for Sheldon's office.

"I see your back. Heard you had the flu."

"Yup. I'm back. How's Wendy?" Cooper jokes around with Sheldon.

"Wendy is doing just fine. She woke me up at 7am on the dot."

"Good woodpecker!" Cooper chuckles. "So, I take it the vandalism has stopped?"

"For this week anyway." Sheldon answers, "What brings you to my office this bright and early?"

"Charlotte." Cooper answers.

"How's she doing?" Sheldon asks as he looks at some charts.

"There she is now." Cooper waves at Charlotte who's passing by Sheldon's office. She waves back and smiles. "She knows we're talking about her."

"No." Sheldon tells him, "she thinks we're talking about _you_."

"_But,"_ Cooper points out to Sheldon, "She knows I wouldn't need to talk to you if _it _didn't happen to her_."_

"Well that's obvious." Sheldon answers_. _"I'm sure Charlotte's pleased that you're talking things out with me just as she's talking things out with Perri."

"I guess but she's been acting a little weird_."_

"How so?_" _Sheldon's curious.

"She's been undressing me in bed_." _Cooper announces loud and clear.

"Come again?" Sheldon perks his eyebrows up.

"You can't believe it either huh?"

"Just tell me what happened Cooper."

"I had the flu and she would massage my back and shoulders at night but I would wake up every morning with no shirt on." Cooper scratches his head."At first, I thought I must have been taking it off at night because of the fever. She told me this morning that _she_ was the one taking my shirt off at night, not me._"_

"Why would she do that?" Sheldon asks with raised eyebrows.

"I don't know. When I woke up she was sleeping with her head on my chest. It felt like old times._"_

"Sounds like Charlotte wants those old times back as much as you do."

"What do I do? Should I keep pretending to be asleep and let her do what she wants with me?"

Sheldon chuckles. "No. Talk to her about it. Ask her what she wants from you?"

"This is so weird. I shouldn't have to talk to her about this. I hate this." Cooper's frustration is growing.

"It's weird to Charlotte too. I'm sure she hates being in this situation as much as you. Just talk to her Cooper. Best advice is I can give you now is to keep those lines of communication open." Sheldon shuffles some charts around.

"What do I say? Excuse me Charlotte but do you want me to pretend to sleep while you undress me or..."

"You'll figure it out, now excuse me my nine o'clock patient is on their way in."

"I have a nine o'clock also._" _Cooper shakes Sheldon's hand. "Thanks for your help."

"No problem. You should be getting my bill soon." Sheldon smiles.

* * *

Cooper's in his office sitting behind his desk when Amelia walks in, "you called me?"

"Yes, I have a five year old who needs a neuro consult."

"What are the symptoms?" Amelia asks eager for the work.

"Chronic headaches, vomiting every morning for the past two weeks._"_

"You're ruling out a brain tumor_?"_

Cooper sighs, " great minds think alike."

Amelia informs him, "Five years old is about the right age for a medullablastoma diagnosis."

"Exactly what I was thinking. I sent him for an MRI." Cooper puts his head into his hands and leans on the desk."I don't look foward to telling these parents."

"Are you close with the family?"

"I've known them over ten years. They started coming to me when their oldest was born._"_

"If it's bad news, do you want me to give it to them?" Amelia offers

"It's better if they hear it from me than some strange doctor_."_

"Hey! Who are you calling strange?" Amelia makes a goofy face to cheer Cooper up.

Cooper smiles, "yeah, you are a strange one."

Amelia puts her hand on Cooper's back and gently rubs, "we'll tell them together."

Cooper nods his head in agreement. Charlotte walks in the office and stops and stares at them.

"Hi Charlotte," Amelia says while rubbing Cooper's back.

"Hi Sweetie, do you need something?" Cooper looks up and asks.

"Never mind_."_ Charlotte says sharply as she turns and walks out of his office.

Amelia follows her, "Charlotte, what's wrong?"

"Nothing_."_ Charlotte snaps at her.

"Why did you walk in Cooper's office look at me and then walk out?"

"I don't have to answer to you?" Charlotte snips and walks away.

"Come on Charlotte." Amelia follows her."I thought we were friends?"

Charlotte turns to her quickly "I saw you with your hands on him." Charlotte glares at her.

Amelia answers defensively "I was comforting him about a terminal five year old patient_."_

"I can comfort him." Charlotte tells her and walks away.

"I didn't mean..." Amelia tries to explain as Charlotte continues to walk away from her.

"What was that all about?" Cooper asks Amelia as he exits his office.

"We need to stay away from each other_. _We'll keep a professional distance from now on."

"Did you tell her I tried to kiss you last month?" Cooper asks_._

"No_._ Did you?" Amelia asks.

"Of course not. It would only upset her."

"Well, she's upset now_." _

"But, we didn't do anything. You were just rubbing my back" Cooper's worried.

"Apparently, I shouldn't have done that." Amelia walks away.

* * *

Cooper finds Charlotte in the kitchen. "Is everything okay Sweetie?"

"Just peachy." Charlotte answers short, not looking at him.

"Amelia was just comforting me about a patient Char. Please don't be mad." Cooper rubs her back.

Charlotte pushes his arm away and rushes off. She goes to the bathroom and cries to herself.

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**I love reading your reviews. Pleases continue.**

**Thanks JFF for being such a great beta!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

**It's Wednesday, Charlotte walks into Perri's office and sits in the usual leather recliner.**

**Perri's wearing a silk red top with black pants. Charlotte notices her stylish black boots. "How was your week Charlotte?"**

**Charlotte doesn't answer. She folds her arms and looks out the window.**

**"Did you meet those two goals we disscussed last week?" Perri asks.**

**Charlotte nods her head yes.**

"**So, you went to the support group?" Perri asks gently noting Charlotte's somber mood.**

**Again Charlotte nods her head while keeping her arms folded.**

"**Am I to assume it didn't go well for you?" Perri asks.**

"**No." Charlotte looks at Perri this time and answers, the support group went great. Two friends met me there and it was fine. They're coming back with me next week."**

"**Did you talk to anyone at the support group?"**

"**No. I just listened like you said and it was fine." Charlotte looks out the window again.**

"**How did your second goal with Cooper work out?" Perri asks.**

"**I thought it went well." Charlotte takes a deep breath.**

"**Tell me what happened."**

"**Cooper had the flu. He was out of it with a fever and on flu medication so I took advantage of it. I took his shirt off at night and massaged him."**

"**Why would you do that?" Perri asks.**

"**At first to make him feel better but then it was for me. It was like therapy for me to touch his body again without worrying about him wanting to reciprocate. He was too tired. It was a safe way of feeling close to him again."**

"**That's excellent progress." Perri tells her. "You're moving right along."**

"**Not fast enough." Charlotte tells her.**

"**Why not?" Perri asks.**

"**I walked in his office one day and found Amelia rubbing his back."**

"**Who's Amelia?" **

"**She's this new hot young doctor in our office."**

"**Why was she rubbing Cooper's back?" **

"**She said she was consoling him about a terminal patient." Charlotte huffs.**

"**Do you doubt she's telling the truth?" **

"**I don't know. I don't think so but how long can Cooper wait? It's just a matter of time before he leaves me."**

"**Did you discuss this with Cooper?"**

"**No. I've hardly spoke to him since. I've been making myself scarce."**

"**Avoidance again. Charlotte you need to talk to Cooper."**

"**I'm not good at talking."**

"**Let's get back to Amelia rubbing Cooper's back. Why do you think it upset you so much?"**

**Charlotte sighs, "****All I can do for him is rub his back and it took me so long to work up to that. I walk in his office and Amelia's rubbing his back, no problem. I'm his fiancee I should do that for him, not her."**

"**You're worried about him seeking comfort from another woman?"**

"**I'm worried about him seeking more than just comfort." She quirks her eyebrow up at the doctor.**

"**Has Cooper ever cheated on you?'**

"**No" Charlotte tells her.**

"**Then why are you worried?"**

**Charlotte looks Perri in the eyes, **"**G****oing this long without sex is pushing it for him."**

"**Does Cooper love you?"**

"**Yes." Charlotte answers.**

"**If Cooper loves you, he'll wait for you." Perri gives her a soft smile.**"**How is work going?"**

"**Good." Charlotte tells her. "I've been keeping myself busy so I don't think about what Amelia can give Cooper that I can't."**

"**What are your goals for this week Charlotte?"**

"**To stop feeling this way. To stop being mad at Cooper."**

"**Then take it to the next step."**

"**What's that?" Charlotte asks.**

"**Whatever feels comfortable. You rubbed his back last week, maybe you could let him rub yours this week but only if it's comfortable."**

"**I guess I could try it."**

"**If you're not comfortable with that then continue to kiss him. Amelia can't do that."**

"**She better not!" Charlotte says with determination.**

"**Do something with him that he can't do with anyone else. Do something more intimate than a back rub. Remember to pace yourself because if you try to go too far too fast it will cause you to regress." Perri advises her.**

"**Okay." Charlotte thinks about it.**

"**My second goal is for the support group. I want you to speak to one person you don't already know. I want you to tell them about your assault."**

"**Why?" Charlotte's not crazy about this one.**

"**Talking it out helps. You may just be surprised. Try it Charlotte and let me know how you feel about it next week."**

"**G****uess you're the boss." Charlotte shrugs her shoulders.**

"**No, Charlotte. You're the boss. I'm just guiding you along the way." Perri pats Charlotte on the back and walks her out the door.**

* * *

**Charlotte arrives at Oceanside and heads straight for Cooper's office.**

"**This is a nice surprise." He says as she walks in the room since she'd been avoiding him yesterday.**

"**When's your next patient?" She asks him.**

"**I'm done for the day." He tells her. "I was getting ready to go to St. Ambrose and check in on a patient."**

"**Take your shirt off." She tells him as she closes the blinds and locks the door.**

**"Charlotte? What are you doing?"**

**Charlotte pulls her top off. "You heard me. Take your shirt off and lie on the couch." She orders him.**

**"Sweetie, we're not ready for this."**

"**For heavens sake Cooper, I don't want to have sex with you. I just want to lie on top of you a little while. Is that a crime?" Her voice is annoyed.**

"**No. No of course not." Cooper's confused. He lies on the couch while Charlotte positions herself on top of him. She unfastens her bra strap and lies on his chest.**

"**Now rub my back." She tells him. "I've been rubbing yours since you got sick. It's your turn now. Rub mine." She orders him.**

"**Okay." He gently rubs his hand up and down her back. "How does that feel?" He asks.**

"**N****ice." She puts her head on his shoulder and gets used to the feeling of his hand gently rubbing her back. After a few moments they both relax. Their breathing becomes slower. Charlotte feels comfortable and begins rubbing her finger along Coopers upper chest making circles. **

**After a few seconds, Cooper feels himself getting turned on. He wonders if she can feel it. "I'm sorry." He says "I couldn't help it. I'll try and think of bad things to make it go away."**

"**You better not make it go away." She tells him.**

"**You're sure you're okay with it?" He asks.**

**"Damn sure, ****I'd be worried if I couldn't turn you on anymore. At least I know when I'm ready you still want me."**

"**Of course I still want you. Why would you think I don't?"**

"**I'm damaged goods. Why stick with a broken down Porshe when you can have a brand new one?"**

"**Are you talking about Amelia?"**

"**I have eyes Cooper. I can see Amelia's hot and you can too, not to mention she's horny. She told me once before she was thinking about propositioning Sheldon for sex, so I'm sure she'd jump you in a heartbeat if the conditions were right."**

"**But the conditions aren't right. I made a commitment to you and I intend to keep it. I'm going to make you my wife, Charlotte King."**

"**You made that commitment before I was damaged."**

"**When you have something special, something you really love, you try to fix it. You don't throw it away. You do whatever you have to do to fix it. You wait however long it takes."**

"**Thank you." She tells him with tears in her eyes. "I really needed to hear that from you." She kisses his lips and he pulls her tighter to himself. Her beeper goes off. "I have to check that." She tells him as she pulls away. He watches her get up. He hasn't seen her like this in months. "I have to take this. It's the hospital." She tells him as she pulls her top back on. "I better go." She hurries out the door on her way to the hospital. He's still turned on from watching her and from feeling her body on top of his. There's a knock at his door. Amelia walks in.**

"**I need to talk to you about your patient." Amelia tells him.**

"**Get out," is all Cooper can manage to say.**

"**It's important." Amelia tells him.**

"**Then send me a text! Just GET OUT NOW!" He shouts at Amelia.**

**Amelia scurries out of his office.**

**Cooper rubs his head and tries to calm himself down. He picks up his phone and calls Sheldon.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

Cooper enters Sheldon's office. "Where have you been all week?" He asks.

"Didn't you hear? I had the flu." Sheldon tells him.

Cooper plops himself on the couch in Sheldon's office. "What a time to get the flu. I've needed to talk to you all week."

Sheldon sits calmly at his desk. "A situation with Charlotte?" He asks.

"Yes, it's always a situation with Charlotte." Cooper puts his hands on his head and groans.

"What happened Cooper?"

"Every night she wants me to hold her, both of us, with no shirts on. It's torture."

"Why is that torture?" Sheldon asks writing in his chart as he goes along.

"Because that's all we do is hold each other and rub each other's backs. She wont let me go any further. It's like being lost in the desert. You can see the water right in front of you but you can't drink it. There's a glass wall and you need the water so bad but you can't get it."

"What are Charlotte's feelings?"

"She thinks we're making great progress."

"But, she's not moving fast enough for you?"

"It's not that. I could handle it if we left our shirts on but taking our shirts off and lying skin to skin is what tortures me."

"You're being turned on and never satisfied. Is that the problem?"

"Yes. I can't take it anymore."

"Tell her you don't want to take your shirt off." Sheldon answers easily.

"I can't do that." Cooper rubs his head.

"Why not?"

"Because then she'll feel rejected and that's the last thing I want to do to her. She thinks I want to sleep with Amelia."

"Do you want to sleep with Amelia?"

"Amelia's hot! I wont lie, it's tempting but I can't do that to Charlotte. I told Charlotte I'd wait as long as it takes but this lying together is torturing me."

"You need to be honest and tell Charlotte. She won't feel rejected. What she's doing is not fair to you." Sheldon tells him.

"Huh?" Cooper looks at him.

"What Charlotte's doing isn't fair" Sheldon repeats. "She's turning you on but she's also saying no and it's not fair to do to you every night."

"It's because of the rape, she's not normally like that." Cooper tells him.

"So that means you have to be penalized? You don't have to follow her every wish because she was raped. You _do_ need to be gentle and have patience with her." Sheldon advices. "If it makes you uncomfortable to do what she's wants, tell her so."

"Okay." Cooper's surprised.

"You have rights too Cooper. Charlotte was raped and it was a horrible thing. You need to help her cope but you don't need to sacrifice yourself in the process."

"Okay, good." Cooper nods his head. "I feel better." Thank you Sheldon." Cooper shakes his hand.

* * *

Cooper comes home from work. Charlotte's making dinner. "I need to talk to you about something."

"What?" She's a little scared about what he wants to discuss.

He takes her arm and leads her to the couch. He sits her down still holding her arm. "Charlotte, I can't do what we've been doing anymore."

"What?" She asks. "Are you leaving me?"

"No. I'm not leaving. I can't sleep with you the way we've been for the past week. It doesn't make _me_ feel good."

"What are you talking about?" She asks. "I _know_ it makes you feel good."

"That's _exactly_ what I'm talking about. You like to feel that you're turning me on but I can't do it every night with any follow through."

"I don't know if I'm ready to follow through yet Coop. I'm trying to work up to it." She tells him desperately.

"I know you are Sweetie. I know you're trying your best but this way isn't working for _me_."

"What do _you _want to do_?" _She asks_._

"I want to start over_." _He tells her, "I want to date _you_ Charlotte King. I want to take you out to dinner and a movie, no pressure for sex. I want to know this new side of you better._"_

"But we're engaged. How do we date?"

"We improvise. Stop cooking dinner. I'm taking you out tonight. Get dressed up. I'll be back to pick you up in an hour."

Charlotte watches him walk out the door. She thinks his idea is silly but she'll play. She looks through her closet for something to wear on a first date. She pulls out a black silk pantsuit and tries it on. She pads into the bathroom to curl her hair. After she's done with her hair and makeup, she inspects herself. She remembers her shrink, Perri, wore the same black pantsuit to work. "No." Charlotte says to herself and goes back to the closet. She surveys all the little dresses and after a few minutes chooses a red one. She pulls it off the hanger and puts it on. She examines herself in the mirror. "The red dress looks more festive for the season."She says to herself as she flattens the dress against her body. "Why am I nervous?" She asks herself. "It's just Cooper." She looks over her bottles of perfume. She picks Cooper's favorite scent. The doorbell rings.

She opens the door to greet an extra handsome Cooper. He's wearing a new jacket and tie and holding a single pink rose in his hand. "For you," he smiles and hands her the rose.

"Thank you. Come in." She opens the door wider. "I like your tie. Is it new?" She asks.

"I borrowed the tie and jacket from a friend," he tells her. I couldn't get into my own place to change," he smiles.

She tries to figure out who the jacket and tie belong to. She notices his cologne. "New cologne or did you borrow that too?" She asks.

"I borrowed it but if you like it I can pick up a bottle."

"I like it," she tells him." She figures out she's smelled that scent at work on Sam. Aha, he changed at Sam's place.

Cooper looks at Charlotte in the short red dress. "You look great Char. You look like yourself."

Charlotte smiles, she may look like herself again but she's not totally feeling it yet. "I'm tryin'" she answers. "What should I wear the shoes or boots?" She points to a pair of black heels and a pair of leather boots.

"I like the boots." Cooper tells her.

Charlotte pulls the boots on. She notices he's looking at her the way he used to look at her. "So where are we going?" She asks.

"I thought we'd try that new restaurant that just opened by the beach."

"A new place sounds good." Charlotte says as she grabs her purse.

"New beginnings, Sweetie, new beginnings."

"Coop, if this is new beginnings, can you stop calling me Sweetie?"

"Okay." He smiles. "I'll think of a new name for you."

"How about Charlotte?" She asks sarcastically.

"That's boring. We'll see how this date goes and I'll find a new name for you."

"Nervous Nellie." Charlotte mumbles to herself.

"What?" Cooper asks.

"Nothing."She answers as he grabs her hand and they walk out to the car. Great she thinks to herself, now he feels that my hands are sweaty.

He smiles. "This is going to be great." He says as they get in the car.

* * *

**Please review-next chapter-The Date.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Cooper takes Charlotte out to a new French restaurant near the water. Charlotte's a little nervous about this date night and a fresh start. The waiter directs them to a table for two by the window. He pulls out their chairs to seat them. "The view is beautiful." Charlotte says to start conversation. The waiter tells them the specials and hands them each a menu. They're both quiet while they take a few minutes to look at their menus.

The waiter comes back and Cooper orders a bottle of champagne. They both order the seafood special. After the waiter leaves Charlotte asks. "What's the champagne for?"

"To toast a new start." Cooper replies looking out the window. "This is an amazing view of the ocean."

Charlotte looks "It is." She takes a breath, "so what should we talk about on our _first date?"_

"I don't know Sweetie. What do you want to talk about?"

"How bout you not calling me Sweetie anymore." She presses her lips together and gives him a sarcastic smile.

"Consider it done." He gives her the same sarcastic smile back. The conversation stalls for a few moments. The band starts playing. "The band is pretty good." Cooper comments.

"They are." Charlotte agrees and they watch couples getting up to dance.

"I wonder when our food's going to get here?" Cooper taps his finger on the table.

"Give em time Coop. We just ordered and it's a new restaurant. It may take a while."

"They could have at least brought us the champagne by now. They just have to pull a bottle off the shelf. How long should that take them?" Cooper complains.

"They're new Coop, be patient."

"If this is how they conduct business they're not going to be around long." Cooper taps his fingers on the table. The waiter comes over with the champagne and pours them each a glass. They raise their glasses and Cooper toasts "To a new beginning." They clink glasses. Charlotte dazes at the couples on the dance floor. "What are you thinking about?" Cooper asks noticing her dazed eyes.

"Big daddy." She answers still staring at the dance floor.

"Big daddy?" Cooper's surprised. "Why?"

"You hear this sing the band is playing?"

"It's a Stevie Wonder song right?"

"Yup, My Cherie Amour, Big daddy loved this song. I remember dancing with him to it at my aunts wedding. It was sort of our song." Charlotte tells him as she reflects back.

"What does he mean by My Cherie Amour?' Cooper asks.

"What do you think it means Cooper?"

"It means you're pretty on a summers day?" He smiles, "I don't speak French."

Charlotte explains,"Cherie translates to cherished and amour means love so it's like saying my cherished sweetheart."

"So it means my sweetie?"

"Yeah, you could say that." Charlotte answers.

"So can I call you that?" Cooper asks. "instead of sweetie can I call you My Cherie?"

Charlotte bites her lower lip and thinks about it. "Yeah I like it," she decides.

"Do you want to dance with me before the song's over?" He stands up and puts his hand out for her to take.

Charlotte gets up and they walk to the dance floor. He holds her tight and they slow dance for a few minutes until the song ends. Cooper gives her s soft peck on the lips and she smiles. They walk back to the table and notice their food has arrived.

"Looks good." Cooper says as he digs in.

"Did you and your mother have a special song." Charlotte asks as she picks up her fork.

Cooper's surprised at the question. "No." Cooper answers. "I just remember my mother blasting the radio and dancing around as she cleaned the house. No particular song."

Charlotte smiles. "Your mother would dance around the house to the radio and clean?"

"Yeah, what's wrong with that?" Cooper answers a little defensive.

"That explains a lot." Charlotte smirks.

"At least my mother knew how to let loose and have fun." He answers. "I had a fun childhood."

"I had a fun childhood too." Charlotte tells him. "My brothers and I would let the neighbors' pigs go free and then watch the neighbors go crazy trying to round em all up."

"I bet you all had a good laugh doing that?" Cooper says sarcastically.

"As a matter of fact we did." Charlotte answers eating her meal.

"Did you ever dance?" Cooper asks.

"I told you I danced with big daddy and I took ballet five years, momma made me but I hated it."

"So what'd you do for fun besides playing pranks on the neighbors?"

"We'd go fishing and push each other into the river. We got a good laugh out of that."

"Sounds like fun." Cooper rolls his eyes.

"My brothers and I would catch lizards and frogs. We'd put them in the nannies' purses. We'd sit and wait until we heard them scream and you couldn't get us to stop laughing about it for days." Charlotte smiles remembering those times.

Cooper nods his head. "That's one thing I missed. I was an only child. I always wanted a brother or sister."

Charlotte nods her head. "Duke and Landry could be pains in the behind sometimes but I wouldn't trade those two knuckleheads for anything. If I was ever in a jam I know they got my back."

"So why didn't you tell them about what happened to you?" Cooper asks.

"They're my little brothers, not an easy thing to tell 'em." Charlotte takes a bite of her stuffed salmon. " What's done is done, telling them ain't gonna change it. It would just upset them."

Cooper nods his head in agreement. "They'd probably want to kill the guy and I'd be right there with them"

"Cooper, we said we weren't going to talk about this."

"You're right. So what do you want to talk about?"

"I don't know. You said you didn't like being an only child, does that mean you wouldn't want to have just one child?" Charlotte asks before taking a forkful of salad.

"I always wanted four kids but I thought it would be a miracle to convince you to have just one so I was willing to settle for an only child. If I could survive it our child could too." He smiles.

"I agree with you about siblings. I couldn't imagine growing up without my brothers. My life would have been boring without them." Charlotte takes a sip of her champagne.

"How many do you want?" Cooper asks.

"I wouldn't mind three or four _but_ and it's a big_ but_ Cooper." She sees his eyes light up.

"But what?" Cooper asks eagerly.

"_But _it depends on a lot of things. I'm working full time. You're working full time. We'll have to take it one step at a time._"_

"It'll be fine_." _He tells her. "I wouldn't mind taking time off work to be Mr. Mom."

"I have to see how I handle it all_. _My mother wasn't the best role model. I'm afraid if I get too stressed out I could fall back on old habits like my momma did."

"Charlotte, you haven't fallen back on old habits yet. You've been through just about the worst thing you could go through, if this didn't set you back I don't think a couple of babies will."

"We'll see_"_ She tells him, "I don't want to make any promises that I can't keep."

The waiter comes over. "Can I interest you in some desert?"

_"_We're full." Charlotte tells him. "We'd like the check."

"Hey, maybe I wanted some desert Miss Bossy." Cooper tells her. He's happy Charlotte's old personality is starting to come out. "Do you want to take a walk on the beach?"

"In these leather boots with three inch heels?_"_

"You could take your boots off and carry them_."_

"No, it's been a long day. I'm tired." She tells him.

"Okay. I'll take you home."

She looks at him. "How do we do this? We're supposed to be on a date but we live together."

"Simple" Cooper answers, "I'll walk you to the door like a date but then I'll come in and watch tv while you go to bed."

"Okaaaay!" Charlotte look at him like he's nuts.

* * *

At the door Cooper gives Charlotte a polite kiss on the lips and asks, "would you like to go out with me again?"

Charlotte nods her head yes. "Would you like to come in for a drink?"

"Don't mind if I do_." _Cooper walks in and sits on the couch. He turns on the tv and Charlotte fixes martini's. They watch tv together and sip on their martini's. After they finish their drinks Cooper asks, "Aren't you going to bed?"

"Not without you," Charlotte answers.

Cooper opens his mouth wide, "not on a first date. What kind of guy do you think I am?"

Charlotte punches him in the arm, "I didn't mean to have sex. I can't fall asleep without you in the bed."

"Okay," he concedes. They both go in the bedroom. Charlotte changes into a pair of pajamas and Cooper puts on sweats and a t shirt. They get into bed and snuggle up to each other.

"I had a nice time tonight Coop_."_ Charlotte plants a soft kiss on his cheek. "Thank you for the date night."

"I had a great time too_, _My Cherie," he tells her with a smile.

"I like it Coop_."_

"Me too Cherie,_" _he tells her before they both close their eyes for the night.

* * *

**Don't forget to review.**

**Thank you to my amazing beta JFF.**


	12. Chapter 12

****

Chapter 12

Cooper wakes up with Charlotte sprawled across him, their legs intertwined. He rubs her head until she awakes. She looks at him and they smile at the way they woke up all tangled together.

"I guess it just comes natural in our sleep." Cooper smiles.

"Yeah." Charlotte kisses his cheek. "Good Morning."

"Good morning," Cooper kisses her head. "You shower first and I'll make breakfast. What do you feel like this morning?"

"Surprise me," Charlotte tells him as she walks into the bathroom.

After her shower Charlotte comes to the table in her robe, hair still wet. "What's the occasion?" She looks at the fancy breakfast Cooper's preparing." I was expecting blueberry pancakes and cut up fruit."

"I made blueberry pancakes with fruit yesterday and the day before and three times last week. I figured something different would be nice."

She sits down, "that's because blueberry pancakes with fruit and yogurt are my favorite."

"Eggs Benedict with toast is my favorite," he tells her as he takes a bite.

"Looks good," she says as she tries it." Her phone rings.

She's on the phone a few minutes while Cooper devours his breakfast. "Who was that?" Cooper asks as she hangs up.

"The D.A's office."

"What did they want?"

"They want me to stop by this morning." She tells him as she fills up her fork with the eggs.

"Why?" Cooper asks taking a sip of coffee.

"The D.A. wants to discuss the case with me." Charlotte takes a sip of her morning coffee.

"What's to discuss? She already told us why she couldn't charge him." Cooper's a little annoyed.

"It was her secretary who called. She didn't have any details. She just said the D.A. wanted to see me this morning."

"Are you going?" Cooper sips more coffee.

"If I don't it'll bother me all day, so yeah I'm going."

"Alright. Let me take a shower and I'll come with you. Today's Wednesday, don't you have an appointment with Perri Lewis this morning?"

"She changed it until tomorrow so we can discuss the support group meeting that I'm going to tonight." Charlotte tells him as she takes a bite of her toast."

"I forgot about that so you won't be home tonight?"

"No. I'm going out to dinner with Violet and Naomi before the meeting."

"Great. I'll see if Sam or Pete want to hang out tonight?" Cooper finishes his coffee.

"What about Amelia?" Charlotte asks taking another bite of toast.

"I'm not going to invite her but I can't control it if Sam does."

Charlotte sighs.

"You have to trust me." Cooper tells her. He kisses her on the head and goes to take his shower.

* * *

Charlotte and Cooper wait in the D.A.'s office for her to show up.

"Sorry I kept you waiting. I got caught up with another case." The D.A. holds her hand out to shake.

Cooper reluctantly shakes her hand. "We were surprised to hear from you. We thought this case was a dead end."

"We have some new evidence on your case." The D.A. sits down and tells them.

"What?" Cooper's eager.

"First let me explain," the D.A. goes on, " another woman was raped a few days ago. She reported it. The man was waiting outside her apartment door. He punched her and pushed her inside the apartment and proceeded to rape her. We thought it sounded similar to Charlotte's attack so we called in Lee McHenry for a lineup. The victim ID 'd him as her attacker."

"What does that have to do with new evidence in our case?" Cooper questions.

"The victim told us her attacker took a photo of her with his phone before he left. We got a warrant for his phone and we found these on them." The D.A. shows them two photos of Charlotte lying on the floor after the attack.

Cooper looks at Charlotte. "Did you know he took pictures?"

Charlotte shakes her head and looks away from the photographs. "I had no idea."

"It's okay, Sweetie" Cooper rubs her back. He turns to the D.A. "So what does this mean for us?"

The D.A. explains, "We now have evidence he was Charlotte's attacker we can get a warrant to compare his DNA with Charlotte's fingernail clippings. If this goes to trial I will need Charlotte to testify."

"What do you mean _if _this goes to trial? Why wouldn't you bring it to trial?" Cooper asks.

"With this evidence along with the rape kit and ID we have from the other victim, we have a very strong case against Lee McHenry. His attorney will most likely try to settle out of court."

"That means he would plead guilty but settle for less jail time, right?" Cooper asks.

"That's correct." The D.A. tells him.

"How does that benefit us and the other victim? I want Lee McHenry to serve the maximum jail time for the crimes he commtitted._"_

"It benefits Charlotte and the other victim. They wouldn't have to testify about their assaults. That's a difficult experience to go through Mr. Freedman. Lee's lawyer would try to discredit Charlotte. He'll bring up the adult website, the fact she originally lied to the police. He'll bring up all the stuff we already discussed as to why I wasn't willing to press charges in the first place. It may be easier on Charlotte to settle than to go through that. Lee McHenry will still do jail time it just wont be as long as if we took it to trial and won._"_

Cooper turns to Charlotte, "what do you think, Sweetie?"

"I don't know," Charlotte answers. She turns to the D.A., "Are we done here?_"_

"Yes, Miss King.I just need to know if you're willing to testify at a trial if I decide to go that route instead of settling?"

"I'd prefer to settle" Charlotte announces as she gets up to leave.

"If you change your mind call my office." The D.A. tells Charlotte as she walks out the door with Cooper following right behind her.

* * *

After an evening out to dinner with Violet, Naomi and Alexis, Charlotte arrives at the support group. The four women once again choose to sit in the back row. Charlotte thinks about the goal Perri set for her: to tell another survivor about her attack. She surveys the room for a candidate.

The meeting begins. First, the leader introduces a new member, her name is Holly. The leader announces Holly was recently attacked. Holly volunteers to talk about her attack. She stands up in the front of the room. The bruises are still fresh on her face. "I first encountered my attacker at the grocery store. He was in line behind me. He was upset I had thirteen items on the express line instead of the ten they allow. He told me to get off the line. I told him no. I was in a hurry and didn't want to wait behind someone with a full cart just because I had three extra items. He called me a bitch. I thought that was the end of it. A few hours later, I was leaving my apartment to meet some friends. He was waiting outside my door. He must have followed me home. He punched me and pushed me back into my apartment. He raped me, took some pictures of me with his phone and left. I called the police. They caught him. He's in jail now. I was told he raped another woman two months ago but she didn't report it_." _Holly sits down and starts to cry. Everyone appaluds her.

Charlotte feels her heart sink into her stomach. Her face begins to feel flushed. She's positive this is the woman the D.A. told her about; Lee McHenry's next victim. Charlotte tries to listen to the other women speak about their assaults but she can't stop staring at Holly. She thinks that Holly wouldn't be at this meeting if she would have done the right thing and reported it. She taps Violet on the leg. "I'm not feeling well. I'm going home."

Violet follows Charlotte out to her car_, "_what's wrong Charlotte?_'_

"I must be coming down with the flu that's going around," Charlotte lies.

"Do you need a ride home?"

"I'll be fine,_" _she tells Violet. "You go back in there and help the people that need tendin' to."

Charlotte arrives home, Cooper's still out. She fixes herself a martini and then another and another until she's passed out on the couch."

**Review please.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

**Late Wednesday night, well actually very early Thursday morning, Cooper comes in. He spies Charlotte passed out on the couch. "I'm home Char." He calls out. "What are you doing on the couch?" He walks over to put a blanket on her and sees the empty martini glass. He shakes her a little to try and wake her. "Char I'm home." He gets no response. "I don't know who had more to drink tonight me or you?" He lifts her up a little and sits on the couch. He rests her head in his lap. "I wanted to tell Sam and Pete what the DA told us, but I didn't. I don't want them to know about those disgusting pictures that bastard took of you." Cooper's talking loud and stumbling his words. "I want that dirty bastard to go to jail forever but I know you don't want everyone to see those pictures in court." He looks down at her lying still. For some reason he checks her breathing and pulse. She looks so out of it, sleeping so peaceful and still. He hasn't seen her sleep like this in ages. "Well you got a pulse and you're breathing," he tells her. "Amelia came to the bar later. You'd be proud of me I told her to stay the hell away from me and she did. She played pool with Pete while I drank." Cooper ramble on. "It was okay cuz good ole Sam was the designated driver. He was starting to get on me about drinking too much. I almost punched him but I didn't. I controlled myself. I've gotta tell that to Sheldon. I thought both you and Sheldon would be proud of me for controlling myself..." Cooper rambles on until he falls asleep on the couch with Charlotte's head resting in his lap.**

**The next morning, Cooper wakes up on the couch. Charlotte's still asleep. He rubs his hand over his scruffy face and stretches. "What a night!" He says to himself. "Looks like you had a rough night too."He looks at the martini glass on the floor and the almost empty bottle of gin on the table. He gets up and starts to make breakfast. He notices Charlotte turn over on the couch. "Char you gonna wake up this morning?" He calls out to her. We both slept late and you have your appointment with Perri this morning. I have to see patients in an hour."**

**Charlotte groans.**

**"You alright? I'm making you pancakes."**

**Charlotte lifts her head up to look at him. She holds her head and groans, "no food for me, just coffee."**

**"How was your meeting last night?" Cooper pours her a cup of coffee.**

**"I can't talk now Coop, my head hurts."**

**"How much did you drink last night?" Cooper hands her the coffee as she pulls herself up on the couch.**

**"Enough." She takes the coffee from Cooper "Good thing I don't have to see patients this morning." **

**"I'll drive you to your appointment with Perri. Call me when you need to be picked up."**

**"I can drive myself Cooper." She rubs her head.**

**"I want to drive you." He insists. Cooper's relieved Charlotte has an appointment with Perri this morning, if she doesn't want to tell him why she drank herself to sleep last night, he's sure Perri will get it out of her. "You better start getting ready. We both slept late. We don't have a lot of time."**

**Charlotte tries to stand up. She stands briefly groans and sits back down.**

**"What's wrong?" Cooper rushes back over to help her.**

**"It's just my head." She tells him holding her hand over her eyes.**

**"You're going to need more coffee." Cooper pours her another cup. He wonders if he should hide the gin and vermouth. He'll have to ask Sheldon about that.**

* * *

**Charlotte walks into Perri's office for her weekly meeting with the shrink. Charlotte's hair is up in a ponytail. She isn't wearing any makeup today. She's wearing a pair of comfortable jeans and a sweat shirt. Charlotte takes a seat in the leather recliner. Perri comes in wearing a festive red and green sweater dress. It's a few days before Christmas.**

"**Good Morning Charlotte," Perri smiles as she takes a seat at her desk.**

**Charlotte looks at her and nods.**

"**How was your week?" Perri asks.**

"**Started good, ended horrible." **

"**Let's start from the beginning. Tell me about the good stuff."**

**Charlotte's attitude lightens up. "Cooper decided he wanted to start dating me again. We've been going out on dinner dates, talking more about our childhood's, stuff like that."**

"**What kind of stuff about your childhood?" Perri asks.**

"**Cooper told me his mother would blast the radio on the weekends. She'd sing and dance around the house when he was a kid. I told him that my daddy and I danced to My Cherie Amour by Stevie Wonder at a wedding when I was five and that was our song."**

**Perri sings softly, "Pretty little girl that I adore... la la la la la…"**

**"That's the song." Charlotte quirks her eyebrows.**

"**Were you a daddy's girl?" Perri asks.**

**Charlotte answers. "I'm the oldest and the only girl. My brothers still insist I was big daddy's favorite." Charlotte looks out the window . "He was so proud of me for becoming a doctor."**

"**He sounds like a good father." **

"**I miss him and h****e was a great father, just like Cooper will be one day. He was a gentle giant. Cooper reminds me of big daddy in some ways."**

"**T****here's a saying that girls marry men who remind them of their fathers." Perri tells her.**

"**Cooper calls me Cherie now after that song. It's his nickname for me."**

"**Good." Perri tells her, "Are you feeling more comfortable letting Cooper touch you now?"**

"**I'm almost ready to take the plunge." She smiles. "I almost initiated it the other night."**

"**What stopped you?" Perri asks tapping her pencil on the desk.**

"**I got scared that I might freak out and have a flashback of the rape."**

"**Whether you do it today or in a year from now, you're always going to be scared that might happen the first time you're intimate again. Once you start to become intimate that fear will go away a little more each time. You'll make new memories. Do you follow me?**

"W**hat can I do to stop the flashbacks if one comes on when we're in the middle of somethin'?"**

"**Ha****ve Cooper look you in the eyes and talk to you. You need to hear his voice so you know it's him. Focus on Cooper. Don't close your eyes. If you feel yourself going back there tell Cooper to distract you. Have a code word to let Cooper know you need him to bring you back to the moment."**

**"I don't know****. It sounds easy but..." Charlotte takes a deep breath.**

"**Do what I say and it will get easier. I promise you. Talk to Cooper about it first. Let him be prepared to help you if your mind drifts back to the rape. Don't take it all on yourself. It'll get easier for you each time you and Cooper are intimate together." Perri advices her. "That'll be one of your goals for this week. How did your goal go from last week? Did you talk to someone new at the support group?"**

"**Noooooo!" Charlotte answers. "The support group did not go well this time."**

"**Why not?" **

"**First I need to tell you the D.A. called. The man who attacked me is in jail for raping another woman. Her name is Holly. She was at the support meeting last night. She got up in front of the room and talked about her attack. She mentioned he raped a woman two months ago and she didn't report it. She was talking about me. I left after that."**

**"Where'd you go?"**

**"Home."**

"**What did you do when you got home?" Perri's concerned.**

"**I drank until I fell asleep."**

"**Where was Cooper?" Perri asks**

"**He was at a bar with friends and by the looks of him this morning he overdid it as bad as me. I can't blame him after seeing those pictures." Charlotte tells her.**

"**What pictures?"**

**Charlotte folds her arms and explains. "Lee McHenry likes to take pictures of his victims before he leaves them. The D.A. showed us the photos. I looked atrocious, like a rabid animal. I was all bloody with my hairall wild in my face"**

"**Is the D.A. going to take the case to trial now that she has the evidence?" Perri asks.**

"**I told her I would prefer to settle. I can't get up on the witness stand and relive the rape. I don't want anyone to see those pictures of me, not the jury, not friends who may come to court. I looked away when she showed them to us."**

"**That was a good decision to settle rather than have to go to trial." Perri reassures Charlotte.**

**Charlotte folds her arms tighter and squeezes them to her chest. "It's the cowards way out. I know that. I'm not a stong woman. I'm nothing but a weak coward." Charlotte looks out the window.**

"**You're not a coward Charlotte. Why do you think you are?" Perri asks.**

"**That other woman, Holly, she's the strong one. _She's_ brave."**

"**Why?" Perri asks trying to keep Charlotte opening up about her real feelings.**

"**Holly called the police and reported it right away. She Id'd Lee in a lineup, She came to the support group and spoke about her attack in front of the whole room less than one week after the attack. She's strong and brave. I'm a weak coward."**

"**Holly's a different person that you. That doesn't make her strong woman and you a weak woman. You didn't report it because of protecting Cooper from the pain and because of your position as chief of staff. It's understandable you didn't want everyone at the hospital to know your personal business. Your job requires your staff to have a great deal of respect for you as a leader. You didn't want them to view you as a victim. Am I correct?"**

**Yes, but still Holly wasn't afraid of those things. She got things done. She had him arrested. I always thought I was the type to get things done." Charlotte sighs.**

"**Maybe Holly doesn't have a Cooper to worry about. Maybe she doesn't hold a high position she's worried about compromising. I didn't tell about my rape because I was a new psychiatrist and was worried how it would effect my career. Maybe Holly had nothing to lose and everything to gain by reporting it"**

**"Maybe****." Charlotte shrugs her shoulders.**

"**Everyone has a different story Charlotte. You can't compare. Comparing is dangerous." Perri warns her.**

"**How about the fact that if I reported the rape Lee McHenry would not have been free to rape Holly."**

"**It's not your fault he raped Holly. Lee McHenry made the decision to do that. You're not responsible for what happened to her." Perris comforts Charlotte.**

"**I can't shake the feeling he wouldn't have hurt her if I reported it."**

"**You did the best you knew to do at the time. The only one to blame for her rape was Lee McHenry. Move on Charlotte. Holly's making a good start to her recovery if she was able to speak at the meeting so soon after her attack."**

"**Uhm hmm…" Charlotte stares out the window.**

"**The next time you go to the support group I want you to talk to a woman named Jill. She's tall with long red curly hair. She's an old patient of mine. All I can say is she was in a similar situation as you a few years ago. She's doing amazingly well now. I want you to talk to her."**

"I**s that my goal for the week?"**

"**One of them." Perri tells her, "The next is to move ahead with Cooper. "Report back to me in one week and have a Merry Christmas." Perri walks Charlotte out the door.**

* * *

**Charlotte and Cooper meet for lunch at a local pizza place. "You looked beat when I got home last night." Cooper tells Charlotte. "You were sleeping so peacefully."**

"**I was drunk." Charlotte tells Cooper.**

"**So was I." Cooper confesses. "I had a wild hangover this morning."**

"**Did you overdo the drinking on account of those pictures?" Charlotte asks.**

"**I don't know. Why did you overdo it?"**

"**The other woman Lee raped was at the meeting last night, she talked about him raping another woman, me, and how that woman didn't report it. It made me feel like crap. So I went home and drank."**

"**You should have called me Sweetie, I would have came home."**

"**Cooper stop calling me Sweetie."**

"**Okay, _Cherie,_ it's not your fault if that's what your thinking."**

"**Y****ou sound like Perri." Charlotte tells him.**

""**I should be a shrink. When I ask Sheldon for advice he tells me to I'll figure it out myself****. Then he sends me a fee's are outrageous."**

**"Tell me about it. He sent me a ridiculous bill last year." Charlotte rolls her eyes.**

**"Why would he bill you?**

**"After we broke up last year , I was loney. He helped me through it. But after we got engaged he sent me a bill."**

**"Did you pay it?"**

**"Hell no! I slept with the man. There's no way I was paying him for some advice."**

**"Good girl, Cherie" Cooper smiles. "Anyway playing shrink again, I'm going to tell you what's done is done Char. There's no turning back the clock. You're not going to change anything by blaming yourself. The best thing is just move on and learn from your mistakes."**

**"You make a good shrink." She tells him"**

**"Thank you." **

**"Perri told me we need to think up a code word."**

**"Code word for what?" Cooper asks as he bites his pizza.**

**"I think I'm almost ready to get intimate again."**

**"Oh?" Cooper listens intently.**

**"We need to have a code word in case I have a flashback of the attack. I'll say the code word and you're supposed to bring me back to the moment by talking to me."**

**"I can do that." Cooper nods his head. "The code word will be Mocking bird." Cooper decides.**

**"How'd you come up with that?" Charlotte wrinkles her forehead and scrunces her nose.**

**"From your favorite book 'To Kill a Mock..."**

**"I know my favorite book but why that word?"**

**"It's easy to remember. You've read that book a thousand times and I'll remember it."**

**"Mocking bird it is." Charlotte agrees.**

**"So when will I be needing to use this word again?"**

**"When I'm ready Coop, when I'm ready."**

**"Okay." He sighs.**

**"But watch out because I think I'm going to be ready sooner than you think."**

**Cooper raises his eyebrows as they finish their pizza.**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

It's Christmas Eve, Sam invited his co-workers over for dinner. Charlotte sits on the couch by the fire while Cooper fixes them each a drink.

"Naomi?" Sam calls from the kitchen, "How much sour cream do I need to add to the ambrosia?"

"Just eyeball it Sam." Naomi calls back as she gently bounces Olivia on her knee.

"I never made it before. I can't eyeball it." Sam calls out.

Naomi turns to Charlotte, "Can you hold Olivia while I help Sam and Addison in the kitchen?" She passes Olivia to Charlotte before Charlotte answers.

Baby Olivia grabs for Charlotte's necklace and puts it in her mouth. Charlotte gently pulls it back. "No, baby that doesn't taste good."

Lucas toddles over pointing to Olivia, "baby, baby." He tells Charlotte.

"Yes, Lucas, Olivia is a baby." Charlotte answers the toddler.

"Baby!" Lucas points again and reaches over Charlotte for Olivia. He drops his cupcake on Charlotte's lap, smearing the chocolate frosting on her red Christmas skirt.

Violet rushes over. "I'm sorry Charlotte. I'll get a washcloth for you."

Lucas tries to clean up the frosting with his hand by further smearing it on Charlotte's skirt. Olivia grabs for Charlotte's necklace again. "No baby, you can't have that." Charlotte gently pulls her necklace form the baby's grasp.

Violet comes back with a wet washcloth and tries to clean Charlotte's skirt. "Sorry Charlotte," she says as she wipes away the chocolate frosting."

"What happened ?" Cooper asks holding their drinks.

"Lucas dropped his cupcake on Charlotte."

Charlotte looks at Cooper and rolls her eyes as Violet wipes her skirt clean.

"Thanks Vi. Now Charlotte's never going to want kids."

Olivia smiles and coos at Charlotte. Charlotte can't help but smile back and kiss the baby on the head.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Violet tells Cooper. Violet looks to Charlotte. "That's the best I can do with your skirt." The chocolate frosting is off but now there's a big wet spot on the skirt.

"I'll go to the bathroom and dry it off." Charlotte hands Cooper the baby. "Here Cooper hold Olivia."

Cooper puts the drinks down and follows Charlotte to the bathroom holding Olivia. Charlotte blow dries her skirt while Cooper plays with Olivia. After Charlotte's done, "there good as new," she tells Cooper.

He hands Olivia back to Charlotte. "You look good with a baby." He smiles and tells her. Charlotte and Cooper join everyone back in the living room.

"It looks like Olivia loves her Auntie Charlotte." Addison announces as she watches Charlotte play with the baby on the couch.

"Would you like me to take her back now?" Naomi asks.

"I don't mind holding her." Charlotte tells Naomi, not wanting to give the baby up just yet.

"Thank you Charlotte. Maya and Dink should be here soon to get her." Naomi puts a tray of food on the table.

"Charlotte's softening to the idea of motherhood." Violet tells Cooper as they drink egg nog with rum. "You must be happy."

" A lot about Charlotte has changed since the attack. She wants children now." Cooper sips his eggnog with Kaluah. "Except I don't know when we'll ever have the sex it takes to make one."

"Give it time Cooper. It's only been two months." Violet assures him.

"How long do you think it will take?" Cooper asks.

"I can't answer that Coop. Every woman's different. Some women have no problem having sex after a rape and other's can take a long time to get comfortable with it again. It depends on a lot of factors."

"You know Charlotte, how long?"

"Charlotte's comfortable with her sexuality but the rape turned her world upside down. Give her time Coop." Violet pats him on the back. "You'll get there."

Maya and Dink come to the house to pick up Olivia. Cooper can see Charlotte's disappointed to give her up. After they leave Cooper sits on the couch near Charltotte. "Miss your little friend?" He asks.

"She's adorable." Charlotte watches Maya and Dink leave with Olivia.

"What happened to the Charlotte King that hates babies?" He teases.

"She's gone, grown up maybe?" Charlotte answers.

Cooper puts his hand on her knee. "We've both changed and grown up the past couple of months. It's not a bad thing Char."

"Out of the darkness comes the light." She tells him.

Sam clinks his glass with a spoon. "Everyone come into the dining room. The lobster is ready."

Charlotte sits at the table with Cooper. Pete and Violet sit across from them. Addison and Sam sit on each end. Naomi sits on the other side of Charlotte. The doorbell rings and Sam lets Sheldon and Amelia in. "Just in time for dinner." He tells them. They sit at the table and talk about work. Sheldon tells a funny story about Wendy the Woodpecker. Amelia whines about her lack of a love life. Naomi brags about Olivia. Charlotte doesn't think about her attack much tonight. After dinner they sit near the Christmas tree and exchange gifts. Amelia and Sheldon drink. Sam and Addison sit by the fire all snuggly. Naomi plays with Lucas. Violet and Pete relax and look on. Charlotte and Cooper sit on the couch with their drinks. "This is the perfect Christmas Eve," she tells him. He smiles and squeezes her hand.

* * *

Later that night at home Charlotte waits for Cooper to come to bed. "Merry Christmas Cherie!" He's all smiles as he comes in the room with a small jewelry box in his hand. "Here, open this tonight."

Charlotte tears the wrapping paper off the little box. It's a locket with a picture of the two of them inside. "How sweet." She tells Cooper. "Help me put it on."

"Look at the back first." He tells her.

Charlotte turns the locket over. "You had it engraved. My Cherie and the date. Thank you Cooper." Charlotte kisses him. She pauses and kisses him again. This one is more passionate. She pulls his shirt off and then hers. "Merry Christmas," she says and nods her head yes.

"Are you sure?" Cooper asks.

"I'm ready."

"Remember our code word?" He asks her.

"Yes, do you?"

"Mocking bird."

"Got it." She answers and she kisses him again, pulling him down on top of her.

She looks into his eyes most of the time. "Cooperyou need to talk to me." She reminds him as their bodies intertwine with each other.

"I love you Charlotte," and "you're my Cherie amore," he alternates whispering in her ear to keep her focused on him.

Afterward, they lie together all sweaty and catch their breath. Charlotte rests her head on Cooper's chest. "How do you feel?" Cooper asks as he wraps his arm around her back holding her.

"Like a new woman." Charlotte answers.

"We didn't need to use the code word." Cooper catches his breath and comments.

"I focused on you." Charlotte says. "Your eyes, your voice, your scent. I never went back to that night."

"That's great. I'm happy for you, for both of us." Cooper squeezes her shoulder.

"I'm relieved. I was gettin' worried it could take us years to get here." She tells him as she closes her eyes.

He kisses the top of her head and is relieved they're going to be alright. I would've waited years for you."

She looks up at him with her nose wrinked like she can't believe it.

"What?" He smiles, "You don't believe me?"

"Years is a long time Coop."

"And you're worth it." He holds her tight. "_It_ was worth the wait._ You _were worth the wait." He kisses the top of her head and they both close their eyes for the night.

* * *

**To Be Continued**

**Reviews are always nice!**


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Cooper wakes up at six am Christmas morning and looks for Charlotte. Her side of the bed is still warm but no sight of her. He gets out of bed stretches and finds her in the kitchen cooking breakfast.

"Merry Christmas My Cherie" Cooper gives her a quick kiss on the lips."What are you doing up so early?"

"Big daddy always made a big country breakfast on Christmas morning, figured I'd carry on the tradition. Why are you up so early?" She asks Cooper.

"I have to put the turkey in the oven. It's gonna to take a while to cook." Cooper pulls a twenty pound turkey out of the fridge.

"Why'd you get such a big turkey? It's just the two of us." Charlotte watches him prepare the turkey as she cooks bacon and eggs.

Cooper tosses her a big bag of cornbread stuffing. "Here Char, you make the stuffing while I get the turkey ready to go in the oven."

"I'm making breakfast Coop." Charlotte catches the bag of stuffing.

"You're good at multi tasking. You can make the stuffing along side your bacon and eggs."

"Fine." Charlotte pours half the bag of stuffing into a bowl and mixes the ingredients.

Cooper watches her. "Use the whole bag Char, not just half of it."

"We're _not _gonna eat that much stuffing."

"Just do it Char. Make the whole bag." Cooper insists.

"Who did you invite to Christmas dinner Coop?

He looks up at her with a guilty face. "It's a surprise." He tells her.

"Who Coop?"

"I'm not telling. It's a surprise."

"Let me guess, Violet and Pete?"

"No, they had other plans." Cooper tells her.

"Addison and Sam?"

"Nope, they have plans too."

"Then who?"

"Don't bother guessing , you're never going to get it."

"Tell me Cooper!" Charlotte gets loud.

"No! It's a surprise. Just make the stuffing."

Charlotte prepares the stuffing along with her country breakfast and tries to think who Cooper invited to dinner.

Cooper stuffs the turkey and puts it in the oven before they sit down for breakfast. "This is good." He tells Charlotte as he samples the big breakfast of bacon and eggs with biscuits and gravy she made for him. "Last night was good for us." He tells her as he eats. "How do you feel?"

"I'd feel better if you told me who was coming to dinner."

"Not happening." He shakes his head back and forth.

After they finish breakfast, they exchange a few presents. Charlotte gives him his last present which is a gift card to his favorite store. "I know I should have gave it to you for Chanukah but well… you know… I wasn't in a good way at the time."

"You don't need to apologize. I got the best gift last night, Merry Christmas." He gives her a kiss.

Charlotte gets up. "I'm going to shower and change. What should I wear for these guests we're having?" Charlotte's fishing for information.

"Something nice." Cooper answers. "Whatever you'd normally wear on Christmas Day."

Charlotte waits and thinks a minute. "Cooper is it your parents? Did you invite them for Christmas?"

"Relax Charlotte, my parents are Jewish. They don't celebrate Christmas. I wouldn't invite them."

"Then who?" She asks again.

"Go take your shower." He instructs her.

Charlotte showers, curls her hair, puts on her makeup and a short black dress. She thinks about who Cooper could have invited. She walks into the kitchen. "You didn't invite those guys that live down the hall did you? They'll just talk trash and drink all your beer like the last time you invited them over."

"I didn't invite the guys down the hall to Christmas."

"Good." Charlotte sighs.

"Here, I cut up some yams. Put them in the oven when the turkey comes out. It should beep soon. Can you steam some asparagus? I've got the potatos boiling on the stove." Cooper tells her.

"Where are you going?"

"In the shower. Our guests will be here soon."

"Guests? How many of them are there?" Charlotte asks.

"Uh, I guess about four." Cooper answers. "And that's all the info you're getting from me." He leaves the room to take a shower leaving Charlotte to the cooking.

After about an hour and a half, Cooper comes out of the bathroom wearing a new pullover sweater Charlotte gave him for Christmas.

"It looks good on you." Charlotte tells him. "You're trying to make an impression on these folks?"

Cooper doesn't answer. "How's the turkey? Is it ready to be sliced yet?"

"Already done. You took so long to get ready." Charlotte tells him. "I sliced the turkey, mashed the potatoes, baked the yams and steamed the asparagus. Since I've been working my tail feathers off in the kitchen, you can at least tell me who I'm preparing this feast for."

"I'm not ruining the surprise." Cooper shakes his head no.

"You said there were four of them, is it two couples?"

"Nope." The door bell rings. "Oh my god! That must be them." Cooper panics, "do I look alright?"

"You're nervous to meet them? Who the hell's coming to dinner Cooper?" Charlotte's afraid to answer the door.

Cooper opens the door and shows the guests in. Charlotte's mouth drops to the floor.

"Momma? Landry? What are y'all doing here in LA." Charlotte's surprised.

"Wanted to surprise ya Char." Landry gives Charlotte a hug. He shakes hands with Cooper. "Cooper do you remember my wife, Cara?"

"I met her briefly at…" Cooper hesitates, he doesn't know if it's a good idea to bring up big daddy's funeral in front of Charlotte's momma.

Cara reaches out her hand to shake with Cooper. "We met briefly at big daddy's funeral." She gives him a handshake.

"Looks like you and Landry have been busy since we last saw you." Cooper glances over at the infant Momma is holding in her arms.

"Yes we have." Cara answers, "this is your new niece, Taylor.

"Can I hold her Momma?" Charlotte asks.

"Well okay but be careful to support her head." Momma gingerly puts the baby in Charlotte's arms.

"I think Charlotte knows how to hold a baby, Momma." Landry chuckles.

"Charlotte Lynn has never been the maternal type." Momma answers.

"She's a doctor Momma. She knows how to handle a baby." Landry answers.

"Not necessarily. She's not a baby doctor like Cooner is," Momma tells him.

"Its' Cooper Momma, not Cooner" Charlotte reminds Momma . "And I do know how to hold an infant." Charlotte sits down on the couch with Taylor and takes the babys' sweater off. "She's beautiful. How old is she now?" Charlotte asks Cara.

"She was six weeks yesterday." Cara sits on the opposite end of the couch.

"Do you need me to help bring the luggage in from the car?" Cooper asks Landry.

"I can get it myself." Landry tells him. "Seein' it's only Momma and the baby's suitcases you need."

"What do you mean?" Charlotte asks. "Where are y'all stayin'?"

"Momma and the baby are stayin' here with you and Cooper. Cara and I are going to Hawaii for two weeks. Our flight leaves tonight."

"What? Wait landry. I'll help you with the luggage." Charlotte tries to hand the baby to Cara. Cara gets up. Where's your bathroom?" Cara asks.

"Down the hall, first door on the right." Charlotte points and momma takes the baby back from her.

Charlotte follows Landry out the door. "Why are you dumpin' Momma and your newborn off with me and Cooper while you two go live it up in Hawaii?"

"Cooper said it was okay. We talked about this a few weeks ago." Landry hurries out to the car.

Charlotte follows. "I'll deal with Cooper later but I'll deal with you now. Cooper and I work full time. We can't baby sit a newborn and a lush with the vapors."

"Momma's doing much better Char. She had to clean herself up to help take care of Taylor." Landry tells her.

"Why? Why does Momma have to take care of Taylor?" Charlotte's confused. "She's your kid."

"I travel a lot for work and Cara has that post partum depression. She won't even hold the baby. That's why I'm taking her to Hawaii. I gave her this vacation as a Christmas gift. I'm hoping it helps her to get away."

"I'm sorry to hear that. That's sad for Cara and the baby." Charlotte feels bad now.

"Yup, it is sad, so Momma had to get it together and help out. She loves that little girl. Taylor's her only grandchild."

"Why did you bring Momma and the baby here?" Charlotte asks. "Why not leave them in Alabama?"

"Momma misses you. Since Taylor was born and Momma sobored up she can't stop talkin' bout ya. She says how much Taylor looks like you and reminds her of you. And I'm a little nervous leaving Taylor alone with momma in case she has a relapse. Cooper said he thought you could use the distraction and company. Figured I was killing three birds with one stone." Landry carries the bigger suitcase while Charlotte grabs the baby's bags.

"I guess it'll be alright." Charlotte tells him.

"Go easy on Cooper. He's a good man to have us." Landry tells her.

"I know he is." Charlotte smiles.

"Can I ask you what Cooper was talkin' about?" Landry's a little concerned. "What do you need to be distracted from?"

"Don't you worry bout that. I got it covered." Charlotte tells him. "You worry about gettin' Cara better so she can hold that beautiful little girl."

Landry and Charlotte walk back into the apartment. Cooper's feeding the baby on the couch while Momma watches over his shoulder. "Ooh she's dribbling Cooner. Wipe her mouth before it gets on her dress." Momma tells him.

"That's Charlotte's Christmas dress. She wore it her first Christmas." Landry tells him as Cooper wipes the baby's mouth with a burp cloth.

"Momma you gave Landry my first Christmas dress?" Charlotte's a little surprised.

"Yes and a few other special outfits I saved."

"Why did you give them to Landry?" Charlotte asks.

"I don't expect you to have kids and Lord knows when Duke will ever settle down and have a family, so I gave them all to Landry."

"Don't worry sis. We'll take good care of them and give em to you when Taylor's finished with 'em."

Thank you." Charlotte tells Landry

"What do you want with baby clothes Charlotte Lynn?" Momma asks.

"Maybe her and Cooper want to have a baby of their own one day Momma." Landry tells her.

"Maybe Cooner does but Charlotte Lynn is not the motherly type."

"His name is Cooper, not Cooner and I am the motherly type." Charlotte grabs the baby out of Cooper's arms and begins to feed her. Everyone looks on surprised.

* * *

**Want to say Thanks to my Beta Jff!**

**To Be Continued...**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

It's Christmas afternoon. Charlotte, Cooper and her family finish the turkey dinner. There's a knock at the door.

"That would be Violet and Pete." Cooper gets up to answer it. He lets them in.

"Hi everybody." Violet says in a friendly mood. "We brought desert and a port a crib. We also brought a baby swing and a bunch other stuff Lucas has out grown."

"We appreciate it Violet." Cooper tells her.

Violet looks at Momma holding the baby. ""Oh, she's so sweet." She tells Mrs. King.

"Thank you darling. She looks just like my Charlotte Lynne when she was a baby."

Charlotte's face flushes with embarrassment. "This is my Momma, Patty King." She tells Violet. "Momma this is our friend Violet Turner and her husband Pete and their little boy, Lucas."

"He looks like he's full of piss and vinegar." Momma King tells them about Lucas who's pulling ornaments off the tree and throwing them on the couch.

"Don't do that Lucas." Violet chases after him.

"You better keep an eye on that one. I raised two boys and they're like wild monkeys at that age."

Charlotte rolls her eyes. "Momma please."

"Don't Momma please me darlin.' It's the truth."

"I don't know how I'm gonna take two weeks of Momma." Charlotte whispers to Cooper.

"We'd better get going to the airport. Thank you for everything." Landry shakes Cooper's hand. "If you need anything you have my number."

"We'll be fine." Cooper tells him.

"Landry kisses baby Taylor on the head before he leaves. His wife Cara looks on."

After Landry and Cara leave, Momma says, "did y'all see that? Cara didn't even give her own baby a kiss goodbye. She's leavin' her for two weeks."

"Cara has post partum depression." Cooper tells Momma.

"Still wouldn't kill her to kiss her child, Cooner." Momma tells him.

"For the third time tonight, his name is Cooper, Momma, not Cooner."

"Mind your toung young lady." Momma turns to Violet, "in the south we raise our children with manners and to respect their elders, you can see my Charlotte Lynn's been away too long."

Charlotte gets up and storms into her bedroom shutting the door behind her. Cooper follows. Charlotte's pacing the room. "I can't take it Cooper. I can't take her being here for two weeks. I'm ready to explode already."

"Calm down Charlotte. You'll be at work most of the days she's here. You just have to tolerate her for a couple hours every evening. You've been through tougher times. You can get through this."

"Fine!" Charlotte tells him, "But I don't have to like it."

Cooper gives her a kiss on the lips for encouragement. "Go back out there and play nice with your momma." Cooper tells her. He's happy Charlotte has her momma here for the next two weeks as a distraction. He's sure as hell she hasn't thought about Lee McHenry since Momma came in the door.

When Charlotte gets back in the living room Violet is explaining post partum depression to Momma.

"So you see, it's actually an illness that requires treatment." Violet explains.

"Well since you know so much about it maybe you could help Cara when she gets back." Momma tells Violet.

"I'll talk to Cara, if she'd like to." Violet tells her.

"Are you the one that helped Charlotte?" Momma asks.

Charlotte and Violet both stare at Momma.

Violet clears her throat. "What do you mean, Mrs. King? Help Charlotte with what?"

"The last time I saw my Charlotte Lynn she hated to be in the same room with a baby. Now she's in the running for momma of the year."

"Oh, that has nothing to do with me, Mrs. King. You have her fiance, Cooper, to thank for changing Charlotte's mind about babies." Violet smiles.

"I know that Cooner… I mean Cooper is a children's doctor. I figured he'd talk Charlotte Lynn into having a baby one day but she actually seems to enjoy holding the baby."

"She does." Cooper smiles and puts his arm around Charlotte, who's currently holding Taylor.

"We'd better head home Violet. It's way past Lucas's bedtime and you know what that means." Pete warns her.

"Yes, we better go. It was a pleasure to meet you Mrs. King." Violet shakes her hand and waves to Charlotte and Cooper as she walks out the door with Pete and Lucas

"I'm going to turn in myself." Momma tells Charlotte and Cooper as she takes the baby from Charlotte's arms. "I'll keep the baby in my room so she doesn't disturb the two of you during the night."

"Goodnight, Mrs. King." Cooper gives her a gentle hug.

"Call me Momma dear, you're family now." Momma goes to the guest room.

"Okay then. Goodnight Momma." Cooper calls after her.

Charlotte walks into her and Cooper's bedroom and sits on the bed. "I can't believe you called my momma, Momma."

"She told me to Charlotte, I wasn't going to say no."

"It's just weird, you callin' her Momma. It's just plain weird." Charlotte's partly talking to her self.

"I guess she likes me." Cooper looks at Charlotte for an answer.

"She wouldn't let you call her momma if she didn't. She never let my ex call her Momma." Charlotte tells Cooper as they change into night wear.

"What did your ex call her?"

"He tried to avoid having to address her by name but when he did he called her Mrs. King."

"Why didn't she tell him to call her momma.?" Cooper asks as he climbs into bed.

"She didn't like him much, didn't trust him. Guess I should've trusted my momma's instincts." Charlotte rubs Cooper's back.

"Think of it as a learning experience." Cooper tells her as he begins to kiss her. "Do you want to?" He asks gently.

"I want to." She whispers in his ear.

"Don't forget the code word if you need it. I'll be off you like a hot potato." Cooper reminds her.

"I know," she tells him as she kisses his ear.

Cooper remembers to talk to her using his voice to keep her in the moment. He can tell she's much more relaxed with it than last night. "You're doing great Char." He tells her.

"Just keep talking to me Coop. Keep talking," she tells him as she looks in his eyes.

"I love you Char."

"I love you Cooper." Charlotte tells him before they hear the baby screaming.

"Should we go and get her?" Cooper asks.

"No, Cooper. Don't stop now. Momma can get her."

Charlotte and Cooper make love to the sound of baby Taylor screaming. After they finish, Taylor stops crying. "I think we should check on her." Cooper tells Charlotte again.

"Alright, go ahead." Charlotte tells him. Cooper gets dressed to go check on Taylor.

He comes back in the room. "Taylor's okay, your mom's changing her diaper and then she's going to feed her."

"What were you so worried about Coop? Babies cry." Charlotte tells him as he climbs back into bed.

"She got quiet all the sudden. I wanted to make sure your momma didn't smother her or something." Cooper tells her.

Charlotte's annoyed, "Cooper! I know I said my momma was a bad mother but she'd never hurt a child."

"I just wanted to make sure." Cooper rubs Charlotte's shoulder. "So how do you feel?"

"I'm good. Taylor's crying helped keep me in the moment."

"I guess we better get ourselves a Taylor then." He tells her.

"Someday Coop. Someday." She says before they fall asleep in each other's arms.

* * *

**Thanks JFF for being a great beta.**

**TBC**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

It's a Wednesday night. Charlotte goes out to dinner with the girls before the support meeting. At the support meeting Charlotte sees Holly, the other victim Lee McHenry raped, sitting in the front row. "Ya gotta give that woman credit." Charlotte tells Violet. "Her rape is so fresh and she sits up front and talks to everyone about it."

"Everyone heals differently Charlotte." Violet gently reminds her.

While the group leader is making her announcements, Charlotte surveys the room for Jill. Jill's the woman Perri told Charlotte to talk to at the next meeting. Charlotte looks for a tall curly redhead. She spots one sitting in the front row. After the meeting she approaches the redhead. "Your name wouldn't happen to be Jill would it?" Charlotte asks.

The red head sticks out her hand. "As a matter of fact it is. I'm Jill Dawson."

Charlotte shakes her hand. "I'm Charlotte King. My therapist, Perri Lewis, told me I should talk to you about my assault."

"Perri's fantastic. She helped me get through mine. How long ago was your assault? " Jill asks.

"About two months ago." Charlotte tells her.

"My rape was five years ago." Jill explains.

"Are you the same woman you were before the attack?" Charlotte asks.

"In some ways I am and in other ways it changed me." Jill tells her. "Did they catch your attacker?" Jill asks.

"Only after he raped another woman and she reported it. I didn't report my attack until weeks later. He went free and raped another woman. He's in jail right now because of her, not me." Charlotte tells Jill.

"Now I understand why Perri wanted you to talk to me." Jill tells her.

"Why's that?" Charlotte asks.

"Let's sit down." Jill tells her and they find a seat. "I had a very difficult time after my assault. I was probably one of Perri's worst patients. I was a mess. Perri had her work cut out for her with me."

"I see." Is all Charlotte says.

Jill explains, "I didn't report my rape either. I was embarrassed or ashamed for my friends and family to find out. I was always known as the tall tough redhead in the neighborhood. I didn't want to be known as the poor girl that got raped."

"I understand that." Charlotte empathizes.

"I knew the guy who did it. I didn't know him personally but I knew he worked as a mechanic at the garage my family took their cars to. I knew his name was Steve. That's all I knew about him. Anyway, I didn't report it and six months later he raped another girl." Jill hesitates. "But this time his crime was worse because he not only raped the girl he choked her to death."

"Oh my Lord!" Charlotte takes a deep breath and looks away and then back at Jill.

"I still remember my father reading the paper out loud. He said, "can you believe this Jill? My car mechanic, Steve, was arrested for raping and murdering a sixteen year old girl. I felt sick. I felt terribly guilty because if I reported it that girl would still be alive. I got to a point that I didn't feel like I deserved to be alive anymore because that girl died."

"So what happened? How did you deal with it?" Charlotte asks.

"Perri helped me. She made me realize it wasn't my fault. I had no way of knowing he would attack again or kill someone. She showed me that I'm not alone, that many women don't report their rapes. Basically none of it was my fault. I think that's why she sent you to talk to me. She wants me to help you understand, it's not your fault your attacker raped another woman. You shouldn't feel responsible for _his _crime_._

"Got to hand it to Perri_."_ Charlotte answers.

Jill pulls out a picture of a little red headed boy. "Do you have any children?" Jill asks Charlotte.

"Not yet." Charlotte answers.

"This is Daniel" Jill shows her the picture_. _"He's two years old and the light of my life. If I think back to how miserable I was after the rape, I never would have imagined how happy I could be now with my husband and son." She smiles at Charlotte. "I have to go home to Daniel now but here's my number if you need to talk."

"Thank you." Charlotte calls home. Cooper answers and Charlotte asks, "Coop how are momma and Taylor doing?"

"Momma just went to bed and I'm giving taylor her bath now_."_

"I'll be home in a little while Coop. I love you._"_

"Love you too, Cherie," Cooper hangs up.

* * *

Thursday morning Charlotte walks into Perri Lewis office. She takes a seat on the soft cushiony couch this week, Perri takes note of that.

"What's new with you Charlotte this week?" Perri asks.

"Lots_" _Charlotte answers. "Lots."

"Did you find Jill at the support meeting, like I asked you_?"_

"I did and she made me realize I don't have it so bad_."_

"There's always going to be someone out there that's having a worse time than you_." _Perri advises her

"I thank God I didn't have to go through the agony she did, but she made it through, she survived_._ She's married with a little boy and happy now."

"Life goes on Charlotte. You can have that too._" _Perri smiles.

"I started sleeping with Cooper again_." _Charlotte tells her, "I mean making love with Cooper again."

"That's a big accomplishment."

"I decided to just go for it. I remembered what you told me, that no matter if I waited a week or a year, the first time was going to be scary. I remembered big daddy told me 'Don't wade into the water just jump right in, it'll be easier in the long run. I'd been wading and hesitating with Cooper for a few weeks, I decided to jump in."

"How did it feel_?"_

"I focused on Cooper's eyes and voice like you told me to and I didn't go back to that night."_"_

"How often are you and Cooper making love_?"_

"Any night that we're both home together_."_

"How do you feel about being intimate again?_"_ Perri asks.

"Conflicted."

"Why?" Perrie asks.

"Because it's not the same for me." She looks out the window.

"How so?" Perri asks and Charlotte looks away"

"I can't let myself go." Charlotte nervously wrings her fingers together. "I don't allow myself to feel satisfied." She's still looking out the window.

"So you don't reach your climax?"

"Right." Charlotte answers, not making eye contact.

"Why do you think that is?" Perri asks

"I feel dirty."

"Why would it feel dirty to climax?"

"I don't know. Sex is different for me now." Charlotte tells her.

Perri tells her. "You do know rape is about control and not sex? Lee raped you to take all your power and choice away. It wasn't about the sex Charlotte."

"I Know that." Charlotte looks down at her fingers in her lap while talking.

"Did you enjoy sex before the rape?"

"Very much."

"Then enjoy it again. Take the power back."

Charlotte turns and looks at Perri. "How do I do that?"

"Being aware he's still holding power over you is the first step or the motivation to change the way you feel. Tell yourself you're going to allow yourself to enjoy sex and do your best to make it happen."

Charlotte nods. "Easier said than done."

"I want you to try it. It may not happen the next time or the time after that but it will happen. You _will_ enjoy sex again."

"I hope you're right." Charlotte looks at her now.

"Trust me. I know." Perri smiles softly. What else happened this week?"

"My Momma's in town." Charlotte rolls her eyes."Momma's driving me nuts." Charlotte confesses.

"How so?" Perri asks.

"She's staying with us. She's a real spitfire, has no filter._"_

"Why's she staying with you_?" _Perri asks.

"My brother dumped momma and his newborn off on us Christmas day while he went to Hawaii with his wife."

"You're kidding?" Perri's surprised.

"His wife has post partum depression. She doesn't hold the baby. My brother thought the Hawaii air might knock some sense into her."

"The woman needs therapy." Perri advises

"I know that. I was going to talk to Landry about it when they come back_."_

"Why did he bring your mother and the baby here_?" _Perri asks.

"He said momma misses me. He wanted to give her a trip to see me as a Christmas gift but I think he's really afraid to leave his baby home alone with her_."_

"Are you sure it's not true about your mother missing you? Mother's miss their children no matter how old they are."

"I wish she wasn't so bossy. I wish she wouldn't call me Charlotte Lynn in front of everyone_."_

"It's a mothers' job to be bossy. As far as calling you by your middle name, just ask her politely to stop. Explain why you don't like it."

"You don't know my mother_."_

"Is your mother human, Charlotte_?"_

"Yeeeees!" Charlotte gives Perri a strange look.

"I know how humans think and your mother's human, she'll understand. Talk to her woman to woman. She may surprise you."Perri smiles, "Your goals for this week are to tell your mother to call you just Charlotte and to try something new with Cooper."

"What do you mean by try something new with Cooper_?"_

"Keep things exciting. Do something together that the two of you have never done before_." _Perri shows Charlotte out of her office.

Charlotte enters the elevator and tries to think up something she has never done with Cooper before.

* * *

Cooper walks in Sheldon's office. "I need to talk."

"You have ten minutes" Sheldon looks at his watch.

"Charlotte and I are having sex again." Cooper tells him.

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"It would be except..."

"Except what?" Sheldon asks.

Except Charlotte's not enjoying it as much as me, if you get what I mean."

Charlotte's not able to climax? Is that what you mean?"

"Yes." Cooper throws his arms in the air. "She tells me it's good but I can tell. I can tell she's not finishing."

"So, she's pretending or faking it?" Sheldon asks.

Cooper nods"What should I do?"

"Nothing."

"It doesn't feel right."

"Does she tell you to stop?" Sheldon asks.

"No. She wants me to keep going."

"Then keep going. Let Charlotte take the lead and be in control when it comes to getting intimate. She needs to do it her way."

"I feel like I'm taking advantage of her body if I'm the only one enjoying it."

"I'm sure she enjoys feeling close to you. The rest will come in time Cooper. Give her some time. She'll feel it again."

"Is there anything I could do to help her? I've been talking to her during and looking her in the eyes."

"That's all you really can do. Charlotte needs time. You're both doing great." Sheldon looks at his watch. "Is Charlotte still meeting with Perri?"

"Yes."

"Perri will guide her. Don't worry Cooper, you're doing the best you can."

"I'm trying Sheldon." Cooper gets up to leave.

"You're getting there, both of you are." Sheldon pats Cooper's back as they leave the office.

* * *

**To Be Continued!**


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Charlotte and Cooper's apartment is quiet now that momma and Taylor are back in Alabama.

"Those two week flew by, huh?" Cooper tells Charlotte as the eat breakfast together.

"I miss Taylor already." Charlotte admits.

"It was nice having a baby in the house. I even miss your mother." Cooper smiles.

"You're kidding me?"

"Nope, momma started growing on me and yes I do miss her."

"We ought to get your head examined while we're at work today." Charlotte teases him. "We need to get our physicals done this am so we could hand in the paperwork for the scuba diving course."

"I can't wait to go exploring undersea with you."

"It does sound exciting, huh?" Charlotte clears the breakfast dishes. "So how bout I do your physical form and you do mine?" Charlotte asks.

"I don't want to cheat Charlotte. If the class requires a full physical, we should do them. They ask for it for a reason."

"What are you scared you're not up to it?" Charlotte smirks.

"I just want to be safe. We need to do the physical and all the lab work required for the class like everyone else, no cheating.

"Fine, ya big baby.' Charlotte kisses Cooper on the cheek.

Charlotte draws Cooper's blood and send it to the lab and Cooper draws Charlotte's blood and sends it off to the lab. A couple hours later Cooper's sitting in his office when the secretary drops by. "I have some test results for you Dr. Feedman." Cooper opens the envelope and goes over Charlotte lab results. His eyes bulge open when he reads that she has a positive pregnancy test. He calls her into his office.

Charlotte strolls in. "What do you need Coop?"

"I got your lab results back." He tells he in a serious tone.

"Is something wrong? Did something come back abnormal?" Charlotte's starting to worry.

"Charlotte you're pregnant. Your pregnancy test came back positive."

"Really?" Charlotte's a little surprised.

"Yes really." Cooper tells her. "Did you have any idea?"

"Not really. I'm a few days late but I figured my body's still adjusting to stopping the pill." She tells him.

"You stopped taking the pill?" Cooper asks.

" I thought you knew I stopped Cooper. I stopped it a few weeks after the rape. We weren't having sex so I stopped. When we started having sex again I didn't worry about it because we were talking about the baby thing anyway. I didn't expect it to happen this soon."

"We're not married yet. What's my mother going to say?"

"Are you kidding Coop? I thought you'd jump for joy if I ever got pregnant, not worry about what your mother will say."

"Charlotte we're not married and my mother's old fashioned," Cooper explains.

"So what does that mean? You want me to have an abortion because your mother might be upset? How old are you Cooper?" Charlotte storms out of his office.

He follows her. "Charlotte I'm sorry. Forget what I said about my mother."

"Don't talk to me now Cooper. I have work to do." Charlotte yells from behind her office door.

Cooper walks into Sheldon's office. I screwed up big time. Can you help me?"

"What'd you do?" Sheldon asks sitting behind his desk.

"We found out that Charlotte's pregnant and instead of being happy about it I told her my mother would be upset." Cooper puts his head in his hands.

"Why would you say that?"

"I don't know because I really am happy. I want a baby with Charlotte more than anything. I can't even believe it's true."

"You were in shock and you reacted. Will your mother be upset that Charlotte's pregnant?" Sheldon asks.

"She's old school. She still thinks first comes marraige than the babies. I shouldn't care what my mother says. I'm forty one years old. Charlotte think's I'm an idiot."

"You know what you need to do." Sheldon advises.

"I already tried apologizing." She wouldn't listen.

"Give her time to cool off. Her hormones are probably raging. Apologize again tonight."

* * *

Cooper comes home from work a little late and Charlotte's in bed. He hands her two gift boxes. "These are for you."

Charlotte opens the first box. "It's a tiny t-shirt that says "I love my momma." Charlotte can't help but smile. Where'd you find that?"

"Never mind," Cooper tells her, "open the second box." This one's a tiny t shirt that says my daddy loves me. "I do Charlotte. I love you and this baby." He puts his hand on her belly. "I don't know why I acted like a jerk when we found out. I think I was shocked. I'll deal with my mother. You don't have to worry about that."

"So you are happy then?" She asks concerened.

"I'm happy. I want this more than anything in the world."

"No scuba classes for now I guess. Perri said we should do something together that we never did before. We never had a baby before." Charlotte smiles.

"There's a first time for everything." Cooper pinches her nose. "I hope she looks like you."

"Or he could look like you." Charlotte touches his nose.

"What should we do about the wedding?" Cooper asks.

"We could speed it up a few months or wait until after the baby is born."

"We should speed it up. I want to be married before the baby is born." Cooper tells her.

"Because of your mother?" Charlotte asks.

"Because I love you." Cooper answers.

"The D.A called today." Charlotte tells him.

"What did she want?"

"Holly decided to settle. She doesn't want to testify on the stand. So Lee McHenry gets a lighter sentence. Are you okay with that?" Charlotte asks.

"I am. I wouldn't want you to testify considering you're pregnant. It'd be too stressful. I guess sometimes things happen the way they do for a reason." Cooper kisses her belly.

"It's strange the way life turns out." Charlotte tells him. "The DA will settle. Lee McHenry will go to jail and we'll have a beautiful baby to brighten our days."

"I could never imagine you saying something like that a few months ago."

"Things change when you're not lookin Coop."

"It's going to be a Happy New year after all." Cooper gives her a kiss on the lips while rubbing her belly.

* * *

**MERRY CHRISTMAS!**

**Don't forget to review! The Epilogue is next!**


	19. Epilogue

Epilogue

One and a half years later.

* * *

It's Wednesday evening. Charlotte's at her support group. Violet brings a young nervous looking woman over to meet Charlotte.

Violet introduces them, "Charlotte, this is Molly. Molly was violently assaulted last month. She's having a hard time talking about it. I thought you might be able to help her."

"Sure," Charlotte tells Violet, who now works as a therapist at the support group. "Hello Molly, Do you have any specific questions for me?"

"Dr. Turner told me you were violently raped over a year ago?"

"That's correct." Charlotte answers and they sit down at a table.

Molly asks, "how long did it take for you to get back to normal ? I mean with sex? Right now I don't think I ever want to again."

"Everyone's different and believe me I felt the same way after I was attacked. My fiance was patient but I was still scared he was going to leave me. It took me about two months to get intimate with him again. It took some working up to. It takes some couples much longer." Charlotte explains.

"Is your sex life normal again?"

"Let me tell you, honey, my sex life is better. Before the attack, my fiance and I had fun in bed, now we connect better. It's different but it's still good." Charlotte tells her.

"How long did it take you to recover and feel like yourself again?" Molly asks.

"I don't know if you ever fully recover, Molly. I'm a different person than before I was raped. My priorities are different. I don't go out by myself at night anymore. I don't stay late at work by myself anymore. My sense of security will always be shattered. Like I said, my _now_ husband and I don't do all the things we used to do in bed. We have a good sex life but I would like to get back to role playing again one day, I'm still not there yet." Charlotte tells Molly.

"For me it's hard to function on a daily basis. Everything reminds me of the rape." Molly tells her.

"It's still fresh for you and I'll be honest time does heal wounds. I felt the same way as you the first several weeks after after my assault."

"How did you get through the day?" Molly asks.

"At first, it was tough. I started going to therapy. I would see my therapist once a week but as I progressed we've been meeting less frequently. I still come to these meetings every other Wednesday and they've helped a lot. I had a baby nine months ago." Charlotte takes out a picture of Chelsea and shows it to Molly. "The pregnancy distracted me from the rape. My baby became my life's focus. Couldn't dwell on the rape anymore but I'll always carry that awful night around in the back of my mind."

"Thank you Charlotte, You've been very helpful."

"Anytime you want to talk, I'm here. And Molly you _will_ feel better." Charlotte smiles to her.

* * *

Charlotte arrives home from her meeting to find Cooper giving Chelsea a bath. Charlotte gives them both a kiss on the head. "How was your night?" She asks Cooper.

"Fun, Chelsea and I ate strained banana's for desert, played peek-a-boo and then we went for a stroll around the block. I'm just finishing up her bath and once I put her to bed it's mommy and daddy alone time." He winks at Charlotte. "How was your meeting?"

"It was good. I spoke with a new girl. She thinks I'm healed and got it together."

"And you don't'?" Cooper asks as he dries off Chelsea.

"I told her I'll never be the same woman I was before the attack." Charlotte hands Cooper a diaper and some powder.

"You're perfect Char." He gives her a kiss on the head. "And so is our munchkin here." He looks at Chelsea and puts her diaper on as Charlotte sprinkles powder on the baby.

"There are things about me that are lost forever."

"And there are new things about you, like you're a great mom. Before the rape you didn't even want kids. I'm sorry you were raped but I'm deliriously happy you changed your mind about children or we would never have this munchkin." He pulls Chelsea's pajama's on.

"I couldn't imagine life without her." Charlotte pulls socks onto Chelsea's little feet.

Cooper carries the baby to the nursery. He kisses her head and let's his lips linger on her soft head, breathing in the baby's sweet scent. "I love her so much." He tells Charlotte as he places the baby in the crib.

"I regret I was raped but a lot of good has happened this past year and a half since." Charlotte puts a binky in the baby's mouth.

"It's strange how life works?" Cooper escorts her out of the nursery and into the living room.

Charlotte mixes drinks and tells Cooper. "I have friends now. I've gotten closer to both Violet and Naomi this past year."

Cooper takes the drink from her. "That's because you go out every other Wednesday for dinner before your support group. You probably gossip about us guys." Cooper jokes.

"No, Coop. Not everything is about you guys." Charlotte hands him a drink. "And I've become best friends with Holly and Jill from the support group."

"Strange how you're best friends with Lee McHenry's other victim." Cooper tells her.

"I don't think it's strange at all. We have a bond." Charlotte sits on the couch next to Cooper.

Cooper squeezes her knee, "It's great you found friends of your own."

"And Perri helped me work things out with Momma. I'm actually looking foward to her visiting this fall with Taylor." Charlotte sips her martini.

"You're momma isn't bad, just a woman with problems." Cooper sips his drink.

"I think it took me having real problems, the rape, to understand Momma's problems. Once Perri told me to treat to Momma like I would treat one of my patients, I saw Momma in a different light."

"You saw her as a woman with a hard life instead of Momma who was a failure to her kids?"

"Something like that." Charlotte answers.

"I was sooooo relieved your Momma and my mother were both on their best behavior at the wedding." Cooper relaxes, leaning back on the couch.

Charlotte leans her back into his chest and pulls her legs up on the couch draping over Cooper. "We had a beautiful wedding. It went off without a hitch."

"We were lucky we had a gorgeous day. Everything went well." Cooper reflects, resting his hand on Charlotte's shoulder. "But the best gift ever is that precious littl girl asleep in the nursery."

"Uhm hmmm." Charlotte rests her head on Cooper's shoulder.

"I can't believe she's nine months old already." Cooper sighs.

"She'll be walking this fall when Momma comes to visit."

Cooper turns Charlotte around and asks, "what do you think about another one? We should give Chelsea a sibling." He smiles kissing Charlotte.

"You're ready for another one Coop?" Charlotte kisses him back.

"We wouldn't want to spoil her... being the only one." Cooper stops the kiss and asks, "what do you say?" He looks at her with big eyes.

Charlotte looks at him. "You're very cute when you beg."

"Please Char." He teases.

"I s'pose we don't want your mother spoilin' her, bein' she's the only grandchild on your side of the family."

"So the answer is yes?" Cooper asks with big eyes again.

Charlotte smiles, "Yes."

"I love you Charlotte." He tells her, "I love our family. I could ask for anything more."

"Me too." Charlotte takes his chin in her palms and kisses him.

**THE END!**


End file.
